Wolves and Flowers
by Rolling-Chan
Summary: Miku, Rin, and Len have been friends their whole lives. They promised to always be there for each other, care for each other, and protect each other. Little did Miku know how far that protection actually went.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Hello everyone! This is my first attempt at an actual romance fanfic (be warned: I suck at romance so please bear with me) so I am really nervous. There is, however, more going on than just romance and I am having a total blast writing this. I hope you all enjoy this because if nobody likes it then I am really going to cry. *Ignore the drama queen.*

Disclaimer: If I owned Vocaloid then there would be an anime, MikuXLen would be official, and Yowane Haku and Akita Nero would have voicebanks (because they are good enough to have them).

-Ray

* * *

Miku Hatsune laughed as she walked arm in arm with her two best friends in the entire world: Rin and Len Kagamine. The three of them had been best friends since Kindergarten and now their Senior year was fast approaching and after all those times they were still stuck together like glue. They did everything together: Miku and Len both lost their first tooth at the same time (that was the first and last time Len had ever pushed anyone on a swing), Miku and Rin got their ears pierced together, the three of them stayed over Miku's house all the time until they had turned fourteen and Miku's parents wouldn't allow Len to stay the night any more. They were so close, in fact, that the whole school knew that the three of them would never separate.

"I can't believe we'll be Seniors this school year!" Miku said excitingly.

"Feels like yesterday we started junior high," Rin said. "Where does the time go?"

"Time always goes by faster when you're not looking," Len said.

"Enough with the proverbs, Len!" Rin jokingly said.

"Still," Miku said, "it feels as if we woke up one day and find that over ten years have passed."

Miku Hatsune was a cheery sixteen year old girl. She had hip length silky turquoise hair and beautiful blue eyes. Her skin was pale white and her lips a glossy pink. Miku was never really a kind of girl to wear make-up; she preferred to simply throw on a random set of clothes and tie her hair up in twin ponytails. Not that Miku was a tomboy, but she would always rather play sports with guys than go shopping.

Rin was the same, except she called herself a tomboy and couldn't care less about appearances while Miku cared a little. Miku did like to wear dresses and do girly things sometimes but Rin wouldn't be caught dead doing either. Rin's blond hair was just barely shoulder length and she always wore a headband to keep her hair back. She actually liked getting into fights and would go against anybody stupid enough to challenge her; it was no surprise that she had been suspended from school a couple of times.

Len was Rin's opposite. Len didn't like fighting or getting dirty, so much that Rin would often joke that he's more connected to his feminine side. His shoulder length blond hair was usually twisted into a ponytail to keep from getting in his eyes. When he was a kid he was picked on a lot for hanging out with girls, and when he was in junior high some kids teased him so badly that Miku, having enough, punched one of the kids in the face. Miku may have lost her reputation as the good girl but since Len was her best guy friend she figured it was worth the loss.

"Hey, Miku," Rin said, "want to get some frozen yogurt?"

"Sure!" Miku said. "I'm getting strawberry!"

So the friends walked together to the frozen yogurt shop, their favorite hang out spot. After they had gotten there Len noticed someone.

"Hey, it's Luka," he pointed out. "And Kaito and Meiko too."

"You know those people?" Miku asked.

"They live in our neighborhood," Rin said.

Miku then understood. Rin and Len lived in a gated community; almost nobody was allowed inside unless they lived there. The few times Miku had actually visited she was invited way ahead of time. Normally, in days they were going to hang out together, Miku just stayed outside the gate as she waited for the twins to met her. It was a good thing the gate keeper, Mr. Kamui, was a funny, talkative man because sometimes Miku would wait for a longer time than expected.

"Rin, Len," Luka greeted, "nice seeing you two here."

"Who's your friend?" Meiko asked. Meiko looked older than the three of them, probably a college student. She had brown hair cut in a bob and a pair of piercing brown eyes. She was dressed in a pair of dark blue skinny jeans, red converse, and black T-shirt.

"This is Miku Hatsune," Len introduced. "You must remember her from one of the times she had visited."

"I'm Luka. I've heard so much about you, Miku," Luka said. She was, Miku noticed, very beautiful. She had clear milky skin, pink lips, hip length pink hair, and eyes the perfect shade of blue. She wore a knee length jean skirt and a pink, floweral pattern shirt. Luka seemed to be around Meiko's age.

"It's very nice to meet you," Miku said. Now that she thought about it, she had seen the three of them before when she was actually allowed past the gate. She noticed them looking curiously at her, especially Luka.

"And that's Meiko," Rin pointed out, "and that there is Kaito."

Kaito's hair was a nicely trimmed dark blue and his blue eyes shone playfully, almost like a child. He wore shorts and a T-shirt that had a college sports team logo on it.

"Nice to meet you," Meiko said.

"Hey," Rin said, "since we're all here why don't we hang out."

The six of them ate frozen yogurt and talked together as if nothing was wrong with the world. Miku learned that the trio were in college and were currently on break. She even observed their personalities: Luka seemed very mature but, by the way she smudged some of her yogurt on Meiko's face, she also had a mischievous side. Kaito was more childish than he looked, acting more like an annoying little brother than a friend from college. Meiko came across Miku as a scary woman, giving death glances to Luka for decorating her face and Kaito for basically just excisting. Meiko actually seemed relieved when her cell phone went off.

"Hello?" she answered. Her face hardened and when she spoke it was stone cold, "I understand." She hung up and turned to her friends. "Luka, Kaito, we need to go." As the three of them got up she asked "Hey Len, wanna come with?"

Len looked as if he was in deep thought.

"Go on, Len," Miku encouraged, "you won't hurt my feelings if you do."

"Are you sure?" he asked. "You're not trying to get rid of me, are you?"

"I'm going straight home after this, anyway," Miku said, "no sense in making you miss out on something." She folded her arms. "Plus, I would never get rid of you, you still owe me ten dollars."

"Funny," he said as he stood up to follow the other three. "See you tomorrow."

"Bye Len," Miku waved.

"I wonder why they had to go," Rin said but by the look on her face she might of had an idea.

"By the way Meiko acted while on the phone," Miku said, "it must be important." Miku looked at Rin's half eaten yogurt. "Are you going to finish that?"

"Yes!"

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Miku and Rin were walking to Miku's house together. Miku had said that she could go alone but Rin insisted on walking with her. Miku eventually gave in because arguing with Rin is like banging your head against a wall, you get nothing out of it but a headache.

"I just can't help but wonder," Miku said, "why did they have to go."

"Well it didn't concern us so I don't think we need to worry about it," Rin said. By the tone of her voice, Rin knew way more than she was letting on.

"Rin," Miku said, "you're not keeping something from me, are you?"

"Don't be silly," Rin said, "we're best friends. Why would I keep secrets from you?" Miku noticed that Rin was using her innocent voice, like when she was caught doing something she wasn't.

Miku shrugged. "I can't help that I have a natural sense of curiosity." Miku gave up on getting Rin to talk so she tried to joke around. It worked.

Rin let out a little laugh, but her laughter was lost when a loud noise came from the front.

"What's that?!" Miku nearly shouted. Her heartbeat had quickened and her urge to run increased in a matter of seconds.

Before Rin could say anything a person was violently thrown right in front of them. The person, unaware of the girls, hopped to his feet and prepared himself for something. Suddenly, a huge wolf jumped out and attacked the man.

"We need to go!" Rin said as she tried to pull Miku away, but Miku wouldn't budge. Miku should've been scared, but she was far too interested in the sight before her.

Miku studied wolf as it fought the man. The wolf had long, shaggy, yellow fur. It was the largest wolf Miku had ever seen, even in pictures and on television had she never seen a wolf so big. After she took in the wolf she looked at the man. The man had military cut black hair and he was pale; not pale like Miku, who's skin tone was fair, but a snow, papery white. And, to her surprise, he was fighting off the large wolf with some ease.

"What's going on?!" Miku unintentionally said aloud. Rin again tried to pull Miku away but Miku's feet were glued to the ground.

"We need to run!" Rin pleaded with Miku. It was hopeless, Miku, in her stupid state of mind, was not going anywhere.

The man noticed their presence and began to move towards them. The yellow wolf tried to attack from behind but the man, seemingly aware of the sneak attack, smacked the wolf away as if it were nothing more than a fly. The wolf flew into a tree, causing it to break. The wolf looked at the girls and let out a soft whimper.

"Get behind me!" Rin ordered Miku as she positioned herself in front.

"Rin, I-" Miku didn't get to finish.

"Just stay behind me!" Rin ordered. "I'll protect you!"

"Don't be an idiot!" Miku said. "You'll get yourself killed!"

"We promised that we would always protect each other no matter what," Rin said, "remember?"

"This isn't what I had in mind!" Miku yelled. "Please, don't risk yourself for me! Don't put your life on the line for me!"

Rin only held her ground and balled her hands into fists. "When we promised to protect you," Rin said carefully, "we had more in mind then you would have ever known." Miku didn't know what Rin was talking about, but she had never once in her entire life heard the blond speak in such a determined voice.

The man quickly approached the girls. Miku noticed that the man's eyes were red, blood red. The eyes had a look about them that made you believe that they could see into your very soul. Miku wanted to squeeze her eyes shut and scream, but she had no control over her eyelids and her throat was too tight to make a sound. The next thing that happened surprised her more than everything else in her entire life combined. Rin jumped into the air and when she landed she too was a huge, yellow wolf.


	2. Chapter 2

The wolf, who was Rin just seconds ago, leapt at the man and began to fight him. She was actually having an easier time fighting him than the other wolf did.

"R-R-Rin," Miku stuttered in whispers as she took a step backwards. She continued putting one foot behind the other until she tripped and landed on her behind.

Wolf Rin and the man continued to fight until the man turned around and began to run off, only to be pursued by the beast. Miku continued to gap at what her eyes had just witnessed. What was going on? Is she dreaming? Or is this real? She then heard a whimper. She turned her head to see the first wolf struggled to get up from the spot near the tree.

Miku got up and slowly walked over to the first wolf. She looked deeply into his eyes. There were only two people Miku knew who had such beautiful blue eyes and one of them was already long gone. "L-Len?" her voice was quiet and shaky. The wolf looked into her eyes, acknowledging her question. "Len," Miku repeated, "it's-it's you. It's really you!" Wolf Len tried to move but only cried in pain. "You're hurt," Miku realized. She moved away from his large head and walked over to his back, the part of him that slammed into the tree. After a moment of observation she realized his back was badly broken.

Miku, almost instinctively, placed her hand on his back. Tears streamed from her eyes and down her checks as she looked at her best friend's major injury. Suddenly, her hand, as well as the part of Len she was touching, began to glow. Miku just kept her hand there until the glowing ceased. She didn't know what just happened but she felt it was something good.

"B-better?" she squeaked out.

Len began to move and he didn't seem to suffer any pain. He stood up and positioned himself so that his large wolf head was meeting Miku's face. Miku let out a little laugh and began to scratch his face.

"You know," Miku giggled past her tears, "you really stink." Len pushed Miku over with his muzzle. "Okay," she said, "I'm sorry." Miku crossed her legs. "So, you and Rin are wolves?"

Len nodded his head. He then changed back into his human form and offered his hand to help Miku up. "Shapeshifter is the correct term," he said, "but yeah, we're wolves."

Miku, with Len's help, stood up then began to rub herself with her arms. "This is too unreal." She then remembered. "What about Rin?"

Len shrugged. "I'm sure she's fine. She's been a wolf longer than I have so she's naturally a better fighter."

"Been a wolf longer?" Miku cocked her head.

Len nodded. "Girls can take on wolf form at an earlier age than boys."

Miku stood still. She had just witnessed the most unbelievable of things and yet everything was going on as if she had known this her whole life. "Your back was broken," Miku wondered, "but now it's better. Because of me. What...what did I do."

Len began to wipe the tears off her face. "It's one of your natural talents," Len said as he continued to dry Miku's wet face. "Can you stop crying? Geez, every time I wipe away a tear three more fall in its place."

"Talents?!" Miku stepped back, out of Len's reach. "What talents? Last I recalled, it's not natural for a girl's hand to magically glow and heal broken bones."

"Not for humans," Len said, putting his arm down at his side. "But you're different. We've known for a long time but we didn't know when the perfect time to tell you would be so Rin and I just kept it a secret but that was obviously a mistake and-"

"Just spit it out, Len!" Miku snapped. "Why can I do that? What makes me so different?"

"Miku," Len took a breath, "you're not a human like you always thought you were." Miku's stare drilled into him. "The truth is, you're a White Flower."

"A White Flower!" Miku exclaimed. "So you're saying I'm some sort of plant?!"

"No!" Len threw his arms up. "Well yes. Yes and no. It's a really long story."

"Miku! Len!" Rin's voice rang. "Len, you're all right," she said when she was close enough.

"Rin!" Miku snapped, making Rin jump. "What's this about me being a White Flower?!"

Rin gave Len a stare that would kill him if it were possible. "Why did you tell her that she was a White Flower?"

"I had no choice," Len said. "My back was broken, and then Miku healed it so I had to let her know why she was able to do that."

A look of sympathy crossed Rin's face. "You broke your back? Are you okay?!"

"I'm fine, thanks to Miku."

"Why isn't anybody answering me?" Miku demanded. "What's a White Flower?"

Rin looked Miku in the eyes. "We don't have time to tell you today, your parents must be worried sick about you right now. Come over tomorrow and we'll explain everything."

"Everything?"

"Everything," Len confirmed.

"Okay," Miku said stiffly. "Now I must be getting home. Bye."

"We're going with you," Rin said.

"Why?" Miku asked, her patience wearing thin.

"We can't leave you alone," Rin answered.

"And why not?" Miku folded her arms.

"Oh," Len said, as if remembering something very important, "and one more thing: Rin and I are your protectors."

* * *

Author's Note: Before I had started writing this I had wanted to do a story with the plot centering around a girl and her werewolf friends, with the friends dedicating their lives to protect her. Good idea, huh? There will be romance (as I have already stated) but the whole White Flower and her protectors is more of a friendship thing that I just love writing as of right now!

I don't own Vocaloid. I do, however, own the White Flowers; they are of my creation.

-Ray


	3. Chapter 3

Miku tossed and turned in her bed. First she learns that Rin and Len are wolves, second she hears that she's a White Flower, whatever that is, and third Len says that he and Rin are her protectors. When she asked what it meant when he said they were her protectors he just laughed and said that it meant they couldn't let her walk home alone. "Just think," Rin said, "if I didn't walk you home Len might've failed to protect you!" Miku noticed how much that comment hurt Len but she was too upset to care. They knew these things all along and they never told her! And these were the friends Miku held nearest and dearest to her heart.

Miku tossed over one more time then she sat up and threw her pillow across the room. She was way too frustrated to sleep. She got up and walked to the bathroom, thinking maybe a sleeping pill would work. Before she even left her room she stopped in her tracks. Meiko asked Len if he wanted to go with Kaito, Luka, and she on what appeared something important. Did it have something to do with that man he was fighting? Are they wolves too? Miku turned around and just lied back down. Maybe she wouldn't get any sleep tonight but she could still attempt to figure everything out.

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"Good morning!" Miku chirped. She hadn't slept much that night but she wasn't going to make her parents worry.

Miku wore a pair of khaki shorts, a white tank top, and gray converse. Today she pulled her long blue hair into a high ponytail, braided it, and then secured the braid in another ponytail.

"Morning, Miku!" her mother's cheery voice rang.

Miku poured a bowl of cereal then sat down. "I'm going over to Rin and Len's house today and I won't be back until dinner."

"Why don't you invite them over sometime?" her mother asked. "It's been a long time since they were here."

"I'll see if they want to come over for dinner," Miku said. She looked around. "Hey, where's Dad?"

"He had to go to work early today, something about taking up an extra shift."

"Oh," Miku said. She looked down, the next words to leave her mouth would be her hardest. "Mom," Miku began, "before you and Dad adopted me, the hospital said that I was found in a trash can. What was I doing there?"

Ann looked up from the dishes she was washing. She knew sooner or later her daughter would ask this question but she just could never prepare herself for it. "That's the thing," she said in a quiet voice, "we don't know. Nobody does." She turned to face Miku. "All we know is that the blanket you had with you had what is believed to be your name on it. Miku Hatsune."

Miku looked down at her cereal. "So I was just dumped off? Nobody cared to see if I would be alright? Is Miku Hatsune even my real name?"

Ann approached her adopted daughter and placed an arm around her shoulder. "If it wasn't then it is now. Your father and I thought hard over to whether have you keep that name or just give you a new one entirely. Despite everything though, we have no regrets and are glad we kept your name."

Miku gave a weak smile. "And the name Hatsune, where did that come from? I don't think I've heard of any other Hatsunes."

Ann shrugged. "That's a mystery, all right. There have been no Hatsunes found in this country."

"If it's not a surname native to this country," Miku wondered, "then what was I, a supposed Hatsune, doing here?"

"I don't think we'll ever know." She kissed Miku on the head. "Now cheer up and run along, I'm sure you don't want to keep the twins waiting."

Miku did as she was told. She got up, put her bowl in the sink, and ran upstairs to grab her bag before she left. Miku had always known that she was adopted, but she would of never thought that she and her adopted parents were technically different species. Her parents were human, and she a White Flower. Since last night, Miku started to think that the mysteries of her infancy may be related to her not being human. Miku Hatsune then vowed to herself that she would solve this mystery, no matter what the cost.

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Miku rode her bike to Rin and Len's house. The gated community they lived in was unique for there was a lot of area meant only for forest. Miku rode up to the gate and greeted it's keeper.

"Good morning, Mr. Gakupo!"

"Good morning, Miku," he answered. "And what did I tell you about calling me 'Mister'? You know it only makes me sound old."

"Sorry," Miku laughed. She had been to this gate so many times that she became very familiar with Gakupo and his father, Mr. Kamui, the gate keeper before him.

"So how has everything been going?" he asked.

"Not bad," Miku said. "How about yourself?"

He gave a thumbs up. "Pretty good. I almost asked a girl out."

"Almost?" Miku giggled. "Why not you actually asking her out?"

Gakupo laughed. "Her friends are so tight around her that the fact I almost asked her out is actually a great victory. They're actually as close as you and the twins are."

"I don't think we're that close," Miku huffed. "Turns out they were keeping some secrets from me."

"Oh, so they finally told you that you're a White Flower?" Gakupo asked.

Miku's jaw dropped. "You-you know too?!"

"Come on," he snorted, "you smell too much like one." Miku looked at him confused. "FYI, everyone that lives here is either a shapeshifter or a White Flower; it's only natural that my sharp nose can tell whether anyone who comes by is human or not."

"Wait, wait, wait," Miku said. "You're a wolf too."

Gakupo smiled. "Forgive me for not saying anything before but as your protectors Rin and Len are the ones who are supposed to tell you this stuff. I'm just amazed you went this long without knowing."

"Well Len said that they're going to explain everything today but you wouldn't mind if I checked with you before I left, would you?"

"I wouldn't mind at all," he said, "but I know those kids; when Len says something he means it. Rin, on the other hand-"

"Double check with Len," both Gakupo and Miku said together, causing both to laugh. "Bye Mr. Gakupo," Miku said as she rode her bike down the rode.

"Stop calling me 'Mister'!" Gakupo's voice sounded across the area.

* * *

Author's Note: I forgot to mention this in the last Author's Note, but when Rin and Len (or any wolf) phase their clothes don't rip to shreds like they do in most movies and stuff. Have you guys ever watched American Dragon: Jake Long? It's kind of like that - when they phase their clothes disappear but magically reappear when they phase back; it's just easier to have it that way even though clothes ripping off makes more sense. But what I still want to know is what happens to Jake's clothes when he turns into a dragon?

-Ray


	4. Chapter 4

_"Wow!" an excited Miku said. "You two look alike!"_

_"That's because we're twins," the small blond girl said proudly._

_"Twins, cool!" the five-year-old said. It was the first day of Kindergarten and since they were the first kids there Miku decided to talk to them. "I'm Miku!"_

_"I'm Rin," the blond pointed to herself, "and he's Len," she pointed to her brother. "He doesn't talk much." Len sat in silence._

_Miku sat next to him. "Hi Len!" she said cheerfully. "Say something, anything. I don't bite."_

_Len shifted uneasily. He was rather shy so he found this girl's outgoing behavior rather intimidating. "Uh, um, uh," he tried. "Um, what's wrong with your hair?" he managed to say. "It's green."_

_Miku pushed him. "It's blue-green, stupid!"_

_"Stupid's a mean word!" Len got out._

_Miku just stuck her tongue at him then walked away._

_"I don't like you!" she heard Len's voice say._

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_Miku was skipping rope during recess thinking how she didn't like that boy. He said that she had green hair! It was, she thought, more blue than green. Stupid boy._

_"Leave him alone!" a familiar voice shouted._

_Miku noticed a bunch of boys messing with the twins. "Make us," one said. Rin was doing her best to fight them off but there were too many for her and Len just sat down taking everything that was being thrown at him._

_"Hey!" Miku shouted._

_"What do you want?" one boy said._

_"Leave them alone or your gonna hafta deal with me!" Miku rolled up her sleeve._

_"You can't do anything to me," the boy sneered._

_Miku then punched him in the face. She walked over to the boys picking on Len and one by one threw them off. Rin helped Miku and soon enough the girls fought off all the boys._

_"Let's get outta here!" one of the boys said before Rin kneed him in his area._

_"That'll teach ya!" Rin yelled._

_Len sat still curled into a ball. He was hit pretty hard but he would not cry. "Here, take my hand." He looked up. Miku was offering her hand to him. When their eyes meet she smiled. "I'm sorry for calling you stupid, can you forgive me?"_

_"Y-yes," Len said as he took her hand. When he stood up he was pretty close to her. "You . . . you smell really nice."_

_"Huh?" Miku tilted her head._

_Rin sniffed Miku. "Len's right, you smell really good. Better than cookies!"_

_Miku sniffed herself then wrinkled her nose. She thought she stunk, having just gotten dirty and all._

_"Th-thanks for helping me," Len said._

_"No problem," Miku pumped her fist. "If you ever need help just let me know!"_

_The three of them got into big trouble that day but they didn't care; from that day on the three of them became inseparable._

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_"Hey Len," first-grader Miku said as she sat on a swing, "push me!"_

_Len, having nothing else to do, shrugged his shoulders and walked towards her._

_"Higher! Higher!" Miku sang each time he pushed her. One thing she noticed about Len was that he was incredibly strong despite his skinny body. He was so strong that he preferred to not show his full strength because whenever he did the kids would comment about what a freak he was. Miku was the only one who thought it was cool how strong he was and she was the only one, besides Rin, he didn't have to hold back in front of._

_"Hey Len!" Rin called._

_Len took his eyes off Miku to look at Rin. Miku then crashed into him, causing him to fly back a few feet; Miku fell off the swing but she didn't travel as far as Len did._

_"Are you okay?!" Rin said._

_Miku sat up and spat out her tooth. "Whao!" she exclaimed. "I've been trying to get this sucker out for a while now. Thanks Len!"_

_Len also sat up and he too spat out a tooth. "This wasn't even wiggling!"_

_"Cool!" Rin said. "You both lost teeth at the same time! I'm going to try to knock a tooth out too!"_

Miku smiled at all the childhood memories as she continued to ride to their house. She then took into account a couple of things. When they had first meet both Len and Rin said she smelt good, and Gakupo just said that she smelt like a White Flower. Was that their wolf sense of smell picking that up all those years ago? Then she thought of how unnaturally strong both of the twins were. Contrary to popular belief, Len was actually stronger than Rin, by a lot. Miku knew for a fact that Len was stronger for she watched the two arm wrestle countless times, and each time Len would win. The only reason it seemed the other way around is because he had more control over his strength than Rin did.

Was there smelling ability and their incredible strength as children due to them being wolf shapeshifters? Miku continued to wonder but then stopped. Len said he would tell her everything so maybe if she were patient the answers would come to her soon enough.

* * *

Author's Note: Kind of a filler chapter but I thought it would have been cute to show how they met and became friends and stuff. These aren't the only flashbacks I have in mind but I'll try not to make any more filler chapters.

-Ray


	5. Chapter 5

"Oh good, you're here," Rin said cheerfully when she answered the door for Miku. Rin was wearing a pair of jeans and her favorite sports shirt. She tied her short hair into two tails which made her look so adorable that Miku wanted nothing more than to give her best friend a tight hug.

"Well I'm still waiting for everything to be explained so of course I'd be here," Miku said.

Rin lead Miku inside and had her sit on the couch. Their living room was expensive looking with leather seats, glass coffee tables, and a woven rug.

"Where's Len?" Miku asked, shifting uncomfortably on the leather seat.

"He's here," Rin answered. "I guess he's just a little nervous since you were so mad last night about everything."

"I'm sorry," Miku said, "but I just felt that you two were keeping secrets from me."

"We didn't mean to keep secrets," Rin said, "it's just that we thought you would think that we were crazy."

"I saw you turn into a wolf," Miku said. "If anything I'd think I was the crazy one."

Len walked into the room. "Miku," he greeted. He was wearing shorts and the baseball T-shirt that he bought when he, Miku, and Rin went to see a game last year.

"Len," Miku returned. Perhaps now all of her questions will be answered; it's confusing to learn your world was never as it seemed.

Len sat on the opposite side of her and began his long explanation of everything.

"Nobody really knows how shapeshifters began, it is a great mystery that may never be solved; the same is true for vampires. Shapeshifters, or werewolves as humans call us, can transform at will at anytime, and the full moon has no effect on us whatsoever. There is also no such thing as a half-shapeshifter, all is needed is for one parent to be a shapeshifter then all offspring would be full shapeshifters.

"Vampires are almost nothing like the legends say. They are not immortal, but there is a way for one to become so, which I'll explain later. It is true that they suck blood but they can only drink a pint of blood before they're too full to drink anymore; so, technically speaking, death by a vampire drinking your blood is near impossible. Vampire genes are not as strong as shapeshifter genes, if only one parent is a vampire then the offspring will be half-vampire; there is also no such thing as quarter vampire, if one parent is half-vampire then it doesn't matter if the other parent is full vampire, human, or also a half-breed, the offspring will always be half-breeds.

"White Flowers, such as yourself, came into the world only two thousand years ago. White Flowers were, as the name implies, actual flowers; for their beauty and pleasant smell, they were the shapeshifters greatest treasure. However, a wild fire destroyed the forest of which the White Flowers grew and left only so few alive. The wolves prayed to God to save the flowers from further destruction that would lead to certain extinction. I don't know how, possibly through the power of God, but the flowers became human.

"White Flowers can only be girls; a daughter of a White Flower will always be one herself, a son of one will be whatever the father is. They hold an ability to heal wounds, and how they can do this is another mystery. White Flowers, with pale skin and full pink lips, were found to be incredibly beautiful; so beautiful, in fact, that the human men would take them as wives. Some would treat the White Flowers nicely, others, however, abused them. The shapeshifters were so upset that something so pure and innocent was being treated so, so much that they no longer cared what humans thought, that had become wolves in front of man and would go as far as kill anyone who dare hurt a White Flower.

"White Flowers are also the reason shapeshifters and vampires are mortal enemies. Before White Flowers became human, shapeshifters and vampires got along rather famously for both were shunned by humans. After White Flowers took human form, however, it was soon found out that a White Flowers blood smelt incredibly sweet to them and their blood was tasted even better than it smelt. For reasons unknown, if a vampire drinks all the blood of a White Flower, killing her in the process, that vampire will gain immortality. With White Flowers having such dangers that they need protection from, shapeshifters have dedicated their lives to protecting them.

"This is where you come in, Miku. We didn't know you were a White Flower when we met; we didn't even know we were wolves for that isn't revealed until the age when we phase for the first time. All I can say about it is that it had to have been fate when we met you and the three of us became best friends. After we became wolves our father told us everything I just told you and even said that you were a White Flower; he then told us that we should become your protectors."

"But what I don't understand is," Miku said, "what does it mean that you are my protectors?"

"As your protectors," Rin said, "it is our job to protect you from all vampires, even at the cost of our lives."

"What?!" Miku exclaimed. "I don't want you guys to protect me! Not at the cost of your lives!"

"Miku," Len said, "relax. I know this has all come upon you so fast but you have to understand that it's a great pleasure to be your protectors."

Miku crossed her arms. "How so?"

"Well," Len said, "you're a Hatsune. Correct?" Miku nodded slowly. "Then that means you come from a line of very important people. The Hatsune tribe were some of the most elegant and beautiful of all White Flowers, they are actually considered by the shapeshifters as royal."

"Meaning?" Miku asked.

"Miku," Rin said, "the Hatsunes were thought to have all died hundreds of years ago. If you're the last Hatsune then, Miku, you're a princess!"

Miku's jaw dropped. "Me? A princess? Nuh-uh! No way!"

"The Hatsunes ruled over a small country that has long since fallen," Rin said, "after it was believed that they had all died our ancestors migrated to this country and set up our own little republic here. The Megurines became the ones in charge so, in a way, Luka is also a princess, just not like yourself."

"But I don't think I can feel right about you guys protecting me," Miku said.

"Seriously, Miku," Len said, "in the past being a Hatsune's protector was the biggest honor a shapeshifter could ever have; they were at one point actual royalty until the war that killed most of them."

"So you want to protect me because I'm a princess?" Miku said with anger and a hint of sadness in her voice.

"No," Rin shook her head, "we want to protect you because you're our most precious friend; it only happened that you were a White Flower, let alone a Hatsune!"

Miku sank in her seat. "I don't really know how to feel about this."

"Don't worry!" Rin said trying to cheer Miku up. "Vampires rarely show up here, the one last night was the first one in a long time! We may be your protectors but it's going to feel like it has always been before last night! With some exceptions, of course."

"Exceptions?" Miku questioned.

An evil smile spread across Rin's face. "How would you like to run with wolves?"

* * *

Author's Note: I just slapped the history of shapeshifters, vampires, and White Flowers in one chapter because I really wanted to get it out of the way. So anyway, Miku-Sama's a princess! I was simply writing this chapter when that random idea popped into my head. I originally wasn't going to have Miku-Sama be a princess but I like the idea and it gave me better ideas for the plot than the ones I already had planned in my head. My proof that the best things in life are random.

-Ray


	6. Chapter 6

Miku looked into the woods that she would soon be traveling through. She carefully thought about everything the twins had told her; about the history of the White Flowers, about the shapeshifters devotion to protecting them, about how she is a princess. Miku shook her head. She was no princess, she's not even sure if she's actually a Hatsune. They said that they wanted to protect her because she's their best friends, but they also said that protecting a Hatsune is actually considered a big honor. She couldn't help but think: did they want to protect her because she's their best friend? Or did they want to be her protectors because it was a great privilege?

Then she remembered what Len said, that this must all be the work of fate. For good reasons, a child isn't told of their wolf abilities until they actually turn into a wolf; also, they had no idea what a White Flower was, either. Up until Rin turned twelve and Len fourteen, they had honestly and truly cared for her as a dear friend; it just so happened that they are wolves and her a flower. It just happened that she had Hatsune as her surname. She balled her fingers into a fist. She didn't want them to risk their lives for her; she didn't care that by standards she's a princess! She just wished that she had left for home earlier last night; then she wouldn't have seen Len fighting that vampire, Rin turning into a wolf, or her completely healing Len's broken back. Then everything would be going on like it has for the past twelve years.

"Why me?" Len's voice echoed.

"Let's see," Rin said, "one, you're stonger than me; two, you're faster than me; and three, you know you want to."

"Where do get these silly assumptions?" Len asked.

"You're a little too easy to read," Rin said in a teasing voice.

"So what's the plan?" Miku asked trying to sound at least a little bit excited.

"We're going to run to the cliff five miles from here and have a picnic with Luka, Kaito, and Meiko," Rin answered.

"Are they wolves too?" Miku asked. After the words left her mouth she wanted to slap herself, Gakupo told her that almost everyone here is a shapeshifter.

"Kaito and Meiko are," Len answered, "Luka is a White Flower and, as I mentioned earlier, in a way also a princess."

"So I'm guessing Kaiko and Meiko are her protectors," Miku said.

"Yep!" Rin said, excited over how fast Miku was catching on. "Though we shapeshifters love all White Flowers equal we assign protectors based on how important said White Flower is. White Flowers of little to no importance in rank have one protector, usually an older brother or a close relative; those of higher rank, such as Luka and yourself, have two protectors."

Miku just nodded. It's going to take her a long time to understand all of this. "So Meiko and Kaito are good fighters?"

"Very good," Len said. "Meiko's the best one around here and Kaito's isn't too bad either."

"Luka's important around here so it's natural she has the best of the best," Rin said. "Turns out, though, that you are higher ranked than her! Being a full princess and all."

"I'm not accepting that title," Miku said, "and if I'm more important than her then does that mean you guys are some of the best too?"

"No," Len shook his head, "we're not that great at all; we're small like runts. We are a shame to Kagamine name."

Miku didn't believe that. "You guys aren't small, I saw you as wolves. You're huge!"

"If you saw Meiko or Kaito in wolf form you'd think we look like puppies compared to them," Rin said.

"With your status," Len said, "you deserve far better protectors than us, Miku."

"Sure I don't like the fact that you two are my protectors," Miku said, "but there's nobody else I'd rather have then you two."

"Really?" Rin asked. Miku nodded. Rin giggled. "Last one there's a rotten egg!" she shouted before she jumped into the air, turned into a wolf, and ran off.

"Sooo," Miku said, "five miles?"

"Despite it being called 'running with wolves,'" Len said, "you won't be running at all." Miku gave him a confused look. Len transformed into his wolf form then motioned with his head for Miku to climb up on his back.

"Are you sure?" Miku asked. Len just rolled his eyes. Miku, deciding that it'd be best to just get on, climbed onto his back and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. "I-I'm ready," she nearly whispered.

Len suddenly took off. At first Miku screamed and tightened her grip on his neck but after a while she began to loosen up and notice how fun this actually was. The breeze in her face and the wind in her hair felt too good to be true. She soon let go of her tight grip on Len's neck and only held on by grabbing his fur with her hands. "Wooooooo!" she cried. "This is the most fun I have ever had!" she said over the wind.

Len, having heard what she just said, made a sudden turn that was obvious to Miku that he left the trail he was supposed to follow.

"Len!" she shouted. "What are you doing?!"

Len ignored her and continued his fast pace. Soon Miku saw that he was approaching a river. Miku wrapped her arms back around his neck and braced herself for whatever was going to happen next. Len jumped into the air and flew across the river as if it weren't even long at all. After he had jumped across the river he landed on his feet and continued running as if he didn't jump at all.

Miku, looking up from her position and noticing how smoothe his pattern continued to be, said, "Are you showing off?" She thought she felt his chest rumble with laughter. Miku smiled and leaned down to hug him. "This has got to be the greatest day in my entire life!"

Watching the trees pass in a blur, feeling the breeze against her, and the sound of Len's footsteps beneath her made this experience too unrealistic. "It's all a dream," Miku thought. "Any minute now I'm going to wake up and none of this ever happened." But Miku didn't wish for all of it to be a dream, she was actually glad to see what many people only thought of as fairytails. Len continued to run through the woods at a pace too fast to be possible for a wolf. Even though they had only been out a few minutes, it seemed that the race was almost over.

Soon Rin came into sight. Miku felt Len quicken his pace to catch up to her. "You can do it Len!" Miku quietly cheered. Len must've heard her for his pace got even quicker and soon he was neck to neck with Rin. Miku saw the exit that they were obviously headed for so she brought her body back close to Len's to help him sped up. Soon both wolves jumped out of the forest and into the clearing leaving a tie.

Rin turned into her human form immediately and said "That was fun! Even though I got a head start and still didn't win I'm glad that I didn't lose either." She then ran over to join Luka and her protectors who were sitting down with everything already set up.

Miku slid off Len but felt her knees give in from under her. She was about to fall when Len, back in human form, caught her. "Careful," he said, "that was your first time so it's only natural that you'll be a little dizzy for a while."

"Well I'll be used to it soon enough," Miku laughed. She looked up at him because he was still holding her. "You're really cute, you know that?"

Len's face began to turn red. "What are you saying? You must be dizzier than I thought."

"Maybe," Miku said but she made no attempt to stand up. She wouldn't admit it, but she loved being held in Len's arms.

* * *

Author's Note: This was my favorite chapter to write! Now I want to "run with wolves." I also want to be a Pokemon trainer, earthbender, and magical girl. . . . Fantasy is sooo much better than reality.

Moving on, it looks like our little Miku-Sama has a crush on Len-Kun. *giggles like an idiot* Oh how I love MikuXLen, so let's hope I don't manage to screw it up. I just suck that badly at romantic scenes.


	7. Chapter 7

Miku enjoyed having the picnic with Luka and her protectors. Meiko and Kaito were wearing clothes similar to the ones they wore last night but Luka wore white jeans and a flowery top.

Meiko kept the everyone from putting food on her face and seemed to have Kaito in order. She was sharp-tongued, harshly rebuking anyone who might of said or done something they shouldn't have. Miku did everything in her power to stay on Meiko's good side.

"How does it feel knowing that you're a White Flower?" Kaito asked Miku when he had finished eating.

"Wierd," Miku answered, "but I'm glad I can live in your world now."

"Nothing beats running with wolves," Luka said. "I wasn't that dizzy my first time but you did really well since Len has to be the fastest wolf I know."

Len's chest swelled with pride. "Some of us are just born with talent."

"Yep," Rin said, "I was gifted in the fight and you in the flight."

Len gave his sister an ugly look. Rin had a natural talent in combat; even though he's stronger she could handle him easily.

"I don't know," Kaito said, "I've gotten faster since the last time we raced."

"Pfffttt! Yeah right!" Meiko said. "I can beat you with a paw tied behind my back."

"I can outrun the both of you," Rin said.

"I'm even faster than you," Len said.

"There's only one way to settle this," Kaito said.

"A race it is," Meiko and the twins said at the same time.

"The rules are simple," Luka said, who was acting as referee, "once around the area, no short cuts. Understood?"

Everyone nodded their head.

"Want to come, Miku?" Len asked. "I can carry you and still beat them."

"I think I'm going to wait it out," Miku said. "I don't think you would want me to throw up all over you."

Len shrugged then went to position himself. Luka began the countdown.

"Good luck Rin! You can do it Len!" Miku cheered.

"Go!" Luka signaled. Soon all four wolves took off in strong pursuit of the other.

Miku tucked her knees in as she laughed at them. "Competitive, aren't they?"

"The most competitive," Luka answered as she sat down. "You seem to be taking all this rather well."

Miku shrugged. "I guess I'm just weird like that. When I first saw Len as a wolf I just scratched him on the head as if he were a pet dog."

Luka gave a little laugh. "That's better than how I reacted."

"How did you react?"

"Meiko was straightforward, she turned into a wolf right in front of me," Luka shook her head. "I nearly died of a heartattack. When she resumed human form she flat out told me everything. I was really shaken for a few weeks but soon enough I got used to it."

"How old were you when you found out?" Miku asked.

Luka thought about it. "I'm guessing twelve, nearly thirteen."

Miku nodded. "I wonder why my protectors didn't say anything for the longest time."

"Maybe," Luka guessed, "they thought that the less you knew the safer you would be."

"Is it really that dangerous?" Miku wondered aloud.

"It's actually getting worse," Luka said. "The crime rate had drastically increased in the past sixteen years."

Miku shuddered. "Then why would they say vampires rarely show up? Were they lying to me?"

"No," Luka said, "I don't think they even know. I only happened to overhear what I just told you; I think they believed that they told you the truth. How would they know what life was like sixteen years ago?"

"Because they are seventeen," Miku concluded. The twins were only older than Miku by eight months, too short a gap for them to remember anything from sixteen years ago. "Luka," she said the words slowly, "do you think I have anything to do with it? That the vampires are attracted to me?"

"I think it's just a coincidence," Luka said, honesty filling her voice. "Besides, the Kagamine family has the best protectors, you couldn't be in better hands."

Miku remembered this morning when the twins said they weren't the best protectors for her. True, the were pretty small compared to Kaito and Meiko, but they seemed to have every fiber of their being set to protect her. Wasn't that enough?

"Did you, Kaito, and Meiko, always be friends?" Miku asked. "How does everything work?"

"Because my mother is in charge here," Luka said, "I was assigned my protectors. The three of us were together since youth but only when we were older did we learn of all this."

"Is it awkward?"

"It was at first but I eventually got used to it. You will too."

"I hope so," Miku whispered. She and Luka said nothing more. Luka appeared to be a really nice girl, she was nice and treated Miku as if she were a dear little sister. But Miku couldn't help but wonder, why was Luka telling her this?

A sound was heard form the forest and soon Len made his appearance. He was followed by Meiko and Rin, and lastly Kaito.

Miku ran over to the twins, both of whom were lying on the ground and taking deep breaths. She sat in-between them and pat their heads.

"I demand a rematch!" Kaito's voice echoed.

"Don't be such a sore loser," Meiko said.

Luka laugh at her friends' exchange. "Don't be upset, Kaito, you know that you're the best tracker here."

Kaito gave a proud smile. "Nobody's nose can beat mine!"

Miku sat with crossed legs watching the three friends. "Is that how we look to other people?" she asked her friends, who were now not breathing so heavily.

"I say so," Rin said. "I doubt that we can even get closer than we are now; we're on the max level of closeness."

"That broke threw the roof and continued into space," Miku said. "I'm sorry I was mad at you guys, I now understand that you were only trying to protect me."

"We shouldn't have kept it from you as long as we did," Len said.

"You were thinking the less I knew the safer I'd be," Miku said, "and you may be right."

"You might be safer knowing," Rin said, "since now you will believe us when we say a vampire is after you."

Miku laughed. "I guess that's true." She tilted her head back so that she could feel the sun on her neck. "Mom suggested that you guys come over for dinner; would you like to come?"

"Do you even have to ask?" Rin said. "You're mom makes the best food; any time she offers food that I'm allowed to eat you know I'll be there."

"Len?"

"Same as Rin," Len chuckled.

Miku laughed. "Sometimes I think you love her cooking more than you love me!"

* * *

Author's Note: Luka-San plays a pretty big role so you might want to keep an eye on her. Remember what I said about making Miku-Sama a princess giving me better plot ideas? Well this is one of them.

-Ray


	8. Chapter 8

"I hope my children have informed you of everything," a man with blond hair said to Miku.

"They have, Mr. Kagamine," Miku politely said. "I am aware of my species and Rin and Len's duty to protect me."

"And of the dangers to your kind?" he gave her a sharp look.

"That the blood of a White Flower gives a vampire immortality so I must be wary of them," Miku said.

"Do you have any questions?" Mr. Kagamine asked.

"No sir."

"Then I see that my children are doing their jobs as protectors?"

"Yes sir."

Mr. Kagamine studied Miku for a moment. "Very well," he said before he went inside the house.

Miku and the twins walked back to the house only to be greeted by Mr. Kagamine. He had Miku go through what she knew and had her be thorough. After she was finished with her explaination he reviewed her with those questions.

"You didn't have to answer him," Len said after his father left, "or be so formal either."

"It's not my fault my mother taught me to respect my elders," Miku said. "I don't understand why you act the way you do towards him."

"He's the strickest man alive!" Rin said but was quiet enough to not be overheard. "We rebel any way we can. Why do you think Len has such long hair?"

Miku instantly looked at Len. He usually kept his hair in a ponytail but when he wore it down you could see that it was shoulder length.

"It really makes him mad," Len smirked. "It's not a proud thing for a dad when his son's hair is longer than all of the girl wolf's hair."

"Why does everyone have short hair?" Miku asked.

"Our hair length in human form affects our fur length in wolf form," Rin explained. "Because of it I can never grow my hair out, that's why I made you grow yours."

Miku smiled at the memory. When Miku was thirteen she was thinking of just cutting all her hair off but Rin insisted that she keep it long and let it grow longer. Miku asked why Rin couldn't grow her out and she said she wasn't allowed. Only a just now did she learn why.

"So that's why you two are so shaggy?" Miku asked.

"Yeah," Rin said as she stretched.

"What about Gakupo?" Miku asked. "He has hair that can make girls cry in jealousy."

"He's a gate keeper," Len said, "he never has to assume wolf form."

"But if the need ever arises," Rin said, "he has a knife that he always carries so he can just cut it off then and there."

Miku said nothing but nodded. She then reached out to Len, who standing next to her, and pulled his ponytail. "So the reason you grew your hair out was just to tick off your father?"

Len ignored the hair pulling, Miku did it so much that he was used to it. "Half the reason, actually."

"What's the other half?" Rin asked curiously. She felt that she was left out of something.

"It happen when you were sick," Miku said. "Now that I think about it, it was probably when you were transforming for the first time since you had just turned twelve."

"Horrible days those were," Rin mumbled. Phasing for the first time is NOT fun.

"Anyway, we were at school and some boys were making fun of Len," Miku began the story.

_"What's wrong, Len?" eleven year old Miku asked when her best friend looked upset when he sat next to her._

_Len didn't answer her but instead kept his mouth shut._

_"Len," Miku whined as she shook him. "I'm your best friend, you can tell me anything."_

_"Some boys said I was gay," Len said so quietly that Miku barely heard the words._

_"Why would they say that?" Miku wondered aloud. "I don't believe it for a minute."_

_"They said it's because I have long hair and hang out with girls," Len answered._

_"What's wrong with hanging out with girls?" Miku asked._

_"They say that if you hang out with a girl that isn't your girlfriend then you're gay," Len repeated._

_"So," Miku snorted, "you're my best friend; so actually, I'm the perfect back-up girlfriend."_

_Len laughed at her. "Do you know what you're saying? You as my girlfriend would be so weird."_

_"Sooooo weird," Miku said. "Beyond awkward. Freak of the week. Need I go on?"_

_The two friends laughed together. Normally this would be an awkward conversation between a boy and a girl but these two were so close that this seemed nothing more than a simple conversation to them._

_"If you need a pretend girlfriend," Miku winked, "you know where to look."_

_Len began to blush but didn't let it bother him. "You're my best friend, I think it would just be too weird."_

_Miku nodded her head in agreement. After a minute she began to look at him. "They also called you gay because you had long hair?"_

_Len nodded. Miku reached out to touch his hair. At that time his hair was just barely chin length and his bangs were all over his face._

_Miku giggled. "Don't let it bother you, I like your hair long."_

_"Really?" Len asked with disbelief._

_"Really," Miku answered. She began pulling his hair. "It's kinda fun to mess with too." She laughed as she continued play with his hair._

Of course, Miku wasn't expecting him to grow his hair out after that. One time his hair got into his eyes so much when they were playing basketball that she had to sit him down and put his hair up. Ever since then the ponytail became his signature style.

"Why didn't you guys tell me this?" Rin asked. "I would've taught the boys who messed with you a lesson."

"I did that for you," Miku said. "That's how I lost my 'good girl' reputation. After I was done with them they never said another mean word to him." Miku giggled. "I guess you can say that I protected my protector."

"I wasn't your protector yet," Len said, "not officially. I didn't start phasing until I was fourteen."

"You still carried the title," Miku asked, "didn't you?"

Len nodded his head in defeat. "Yes, I did."

Miku giggled as she ruffled his bangs. "You know, messing with your hair has never lost its charm."

"I can see that," Len said.

"So," Rin said, "want some lemonade? I've been craving some since the picnic but we didn't have any with us at the time."

"Sounds good," Miku said as she ran in.

"Hey, Miku," Rin called her as she ran behind. "We're having a bonfire next weekend, would you like to come over and spend the night?"

"Here?" Miku asked in disbelief. Never once did she stay here even though Rin stayed over Miku's house countless times.

"No, on Mars," Rin said with sarcasm. "Of course I mean here!"

"What about your parents?" Miku asked.

"They're going to have some business with Lady Megurine, Luka's mom, so they won't be here. Mom gave the a-okay so everything should be fine."

"Okay!" Miku said. This was going to be so exciting. "Would it be okay if I walk around in the woods? I won't wander far."

"Why do you want to that?" Len asked, walking into the kitchen.

"Just want to go for a walk, I guess."

* * *

Author's Note: Am I the only one who's jealous of Gakupo-San's hair? I wish I could grow my hair that long but my hair just doesn't grow well. My hair used to be as long as Luka-San's but a couple months back I had my hair cut and apparently hair stylists can't tell the difference between two inches and two feet.

Another cute flashback! Weren't they just adorable as children? :3

-Ray


	9. Chapter 9

Miku walked around the forest, taking in the sights and smells. She had to work hard to convince the twins that she would be fine by herself. Honestly, there were wolves everywhere, how can a vampire get her? Miku ran her fingers on the bark of a tree. She just wanted to be alone for a while, that's all; all Miku needed was a little time to think.

"I can't believe this is all real," she said to herself. "It feels that at any moment I'm going to wake up and find this all to be a dream."

Suddenly Miku heard rustling in the bushes. She snapped her head towards the direction and looked closely. Miku fell back when a dark yellow wolf jumped in front of her.

The wolf was a dirty dark yellow in color, had shaggy fur (but not as shaggy as the twins'), and a bright gold for an eye color.

"You scared me," Miku said. "I'm Miku, nice to meet you."

The wolf walked towards Miku and sat in front her. After he took human form he said, "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I thought I smelt something pretty so I decided to check it out." The boy had dark, shaggy hair and was dressed in trousers, a black T-shirt, and boots. "I'm Nero, by the way. Nice to meet you too."

Miku, with Nero's help, stood up. Nero was taller than Miku by a head but the look of his face made him appear so much younger.

"I've never seen you around here before," Nero said. "Are you new here?"

Miku nodded. "I just recently learned that I'm a White Flower, so everything is still new to me."

"Well good thing you already knew or I probably would've scared you senseless," Nero laughed.

"Some timing," Miku joked. "So are you a protector?"

Nero shook his head. "No. My older sister is our cousin's protector, but I'm not."

"Oh," Miku said. "Well mine are Rin and Len Kagamine. Do you know them?"

A smile brightened Nero's face. "A little bit. We're not really friends but we're not strangers either."

"I see," Miku said. "What were you doing out here anyway? If I may ask."

Nero shrugged. "Just running around. I didn't really have anything better to do. What are doing here?"

"Just needed to be alone," Miku said, "just needed to think."

"Well sorry I disturbed you," Nero said. "If you'd like I can leave."

Miku shook her head. "No, it's fine. I wasn't thinking of anything important anyway."

"Then what were you thinking about?"

Miku froze. "Okay," she said, "maybe it was a little important."

Nero laughed. "All right, I won't question you any further."

"Sorry," Miku said. She was running out of things to say.

"Miku?!"

"Oh, that's Rin," Miku said. To the direction Rin's voice came from, "Over here, Rin!"

Rin emerged from the bushes. "There you are." Then she noticed Nero. "Hello, Nero."

"Hiya Rinny," Nero said. Miku noticed how his face had brightened up at the sight of Rin.

"Don't call me that!" Rin yelled as she crossed her arms. "Puppy," she mumbled.

"I'm not a puppy," he said, "I'm older than you."

"By a month," Rin rolled her eyes. "Besides, you don't act very mature."

Miku tried not to laugh. Rin and mature were two words that do not mix well. Rin can act like an adult if she wanted to but, sadly, that's not most of the time.

"Don't be so grumpy, Rin," Nero teased.

"I'm not grumpy," Rin said, "I just have a low tolerance towards stupidity."

"That hurt," Nero said jokingly.

"Okay," Miku said, "let's not forget I'm here." To Rin she said, "Why are you here? Did something happen?"

"You were just gone for a long time," Rin answered. "Turns out this idiot was keeping you."

"Don't be that way, Rinny," Nero said.

"Stop calling me that!" Rin stomped.

Miku, feeling uneasy, slipped away from the two. As she walked away she heard the two brake out into an argument. Miku continued to walk back to where she started and stopped when she saw Len.

"You can hear that too, right?" he asked.

"The argument?" Miku said. "I think even the deaf can hear it. Why does Rin dislike him so much?"

"Who? Nero?" Len asked. Miku nodded. "Long story," he rolled his shoulders.

The arguing got louder. "I've never heard Rin so angry," Miku said. "And you know that's saying a lot since she has a temper."

"Nero knows how to push Rin's buttons," Len laughed. "He teases her non-stop. It's actually pretty funny."

After a moment of silence, besides Rin and Nero's argument, that is, Miku said, "Wanna ditch her? I know we should wait but we need to get to my house before Mom starts to worry."

"You know you're going to receive the blame," Len said.

"You little-," Miku said but stopped herself. "Rin can't hurt me," she grew an evil smile.

"Pretty much," Len smiled.

Miku smiled as she walked past him into the house. Miku finished her glass of lemonade, grabbed her phone, and walked outside. As she put on her helmet Len rode next to her on his bike. "Last one to the gate is a rotten egg," Miku joked.

"You know I'll just beat you," Len said.

"I've beaten you before," Miku reminded him.

"How do you know I didn't let you win?"

"Becasue you can be pretty competitive."

"That doesn't mean anything."

"Really?" Miku asked as she sat one her bike. "In that case," she pushed herself off and began cycling ahead of him, "try to beat me!" she yelled over her shoulder.

Len shook his head as he watched her get ahead. He gave her till the count of ten before he started. He caught up to her pretty soon and looked at her. "You're going to eat my dust!" he shouted to her.

Miku just laughed at him. He really could be competitive sometimes. Whatever Rin was good at he had to be better, and the other way around since Rin was extremely competitive. Miku remembered all the times she has watched the twins compete; Rin would lose some and Len would lose some. Miku also competed against them, and she too won some and lost some. They were a pretty balanced group; Miku was good at things the twins were not and vice versa.

When the gate came into sight Miku pushed her legs harder to catch up with Len. Soon she wasn't far behind. Then she was right behind. Then she was next to him.

"Hi Len!" she shouted as she passed him. It took all of her control to not burst into laughter over the look on his face. She kept her lead until she reached the gate; Len was right behind.

"Tell me, Len," Miku said when she caught her breath, "did you let me win?"

"Maybe," he said. When Miku narrowed her eyes at him he admitted the truth. "No."

Miku giggled at him.

"Shut up," he said playfully.

"Make me!" she stuck her tongue out.

"Do you guys want me to open the gate or what?" Gakupo asked.

"Sorry," Miku laughed, "I didn't see you there."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Miku and Len rode their bikes side-by-side as they carried a light conversation.

"Remember the last we rode our bikes together," Len said, "just the two of us?"

Miku's checks turned pink. "I thinks so. I was twelve, wasn't I?"

"I was thirteen so yeah, you were twelve," Len said. Rin and Len were eight months older than Miku so most of the time they an advantage of an extra year over her.

"That was four years ago," Miku mummered. Out loud she said, "I remember. Why do you ask?"

Len shrugged. "I just randomly thought of it. Nostalgia maybe."

Miku thought back to that day. Rin was grounded so she didn't get to hang out with Miku. It felt odd for it to just be the two of them; normally it was Miku, Rin, and Len, the three musketeers.

"I remember we rode our bikes to the park and we sat under that giant oak tree," Len said. "You began climbing it like a spider monkey."

"One of us has to be the fun one," Miku laughed.

"I'm fun," Len said.

"Funny looking," Miku said.

"And you're ugly!" Len shot at her.

"And you're stupid!" she shot back.

"And you're fat!"

"And you smell wierd!"

"You take that back!"

"Hit a soft spot, didn't I?" Miku teased.

"Witch."

"Moron."

"Idiot."

"Stinky."

"Miku!"

"That's what they call me!" With that she peddled ahead of him.

"Speed demon!"

"Slowpoke!" Miku continued trekking ahead of him. She continued going straight but then made a sharp turn to the right. She rode further down the rode and stopped when she came to the tree she and Len had mentioned just moments ago. Miku jumped off her bike, threw off her helmet, and began climbing up the tree. Her small and light built made it easy for her to scale the tree; she climbed up and sat on the thickest branch.

Len rode up to where her bike was set and jumped off his own. "What are you doing up there?!" he shouted.

"Sitting!" Miku answered.

"Did I say something to upset you?!" Len asked.

"No," Miku answered, "honest! I just wanted to climb up here, for old times' sake!"

When Len didn't answer her she closed her eyes and hummed a little tune. She hadn't climbed this tree since that day, the day that became the most memorable to her.

"Miku!" Len's voice squeaked.

Miku popped her eyes open and saw Len struggling up the tree. "Len!" she said, shocked. "What are you doing? You know you have a fear of heights!"

"Just help me up!" he said. Miku pulled him up and scooted over so that he could sit next to her.

"What were you thinking?" Miku hissed.

"I was thinking I would join you!" Len said.

"You know getting down is harder than getting up?" Miku asked

"I do now," Len said in a hushed tone. He weakly laughed. "I need to come over my fears if I'm to be a good protector."

"I think you're crazy," Miku said. "What if had I climbed all the way to the top?"

"Would've climbed up anyway," Len shrugged.

"You're impossible," Miku mumbled.

"Don't be so-" Len didn't get to finish because he was staring to fall back.

"Len!" Miku shouted as she grabbed his shirt. Slowly she helped him back up and held on to him as he adjusted himself. Miku's cheeks turned pink, she and Len's faces weren't far apart. "I lied," Miku said, "you don't smell funny." She let go of him and patted out the wrinkles she had created on his shirt. Truth was, she thought he actually smelt really good; like a pine forest.

"I lied too," Len smiled, "you're not ugly."

"But I'm fat?" Miku joked.

"With how much you eat you should be. Hahaha-OW!"

"Sorry, mosquito," Miku said as she rubbed her hand against her shorts, wiping off the imaginary insect. Len mumbled under his breathe as he rubbed the back of his head.

Miku closed her eyes and began humming. At first she was quiet but slowly her volume increased.

"You remember that song?" Len asked with disbelief.

"How could I forget it?" Miku said but she kept her eyes closed. "It's the most beautiful song I've ever heard, especially when you sing it."

"I can't believe you remembered," Len said, a dark blush crawling up his checks.

Miku resumed humming as she remembered that day four years ago, in this very spot.

_"Hey Len!" twelve year old Miku called. "You look like an ant from up here!"_

_"Be careful," thirteen year old Len said nervously. Miku was climbing too high and he didn't like it. "Don't hurt yourself!"_

_"Don't be such a worry wart!" Miku said. She climbed higher up, onto the weaker branches. She was boosting herself up when the limb she was standing on snapped beneath her. "Len! Help!" she cried as she fell. Miku squeezed her eyes tightly as she waited for the impact. She felt the wind against her as she came closer to the ground but it suddenly stopped._

_"Miku, are you okay?" Len asked._

_Miku carefully opened one eye and saw that she was a few feet above the ground. She looked in the opposite direction to see Len's face staring at her._

_"Did . . ." Miku whispered, "did you catch me?" Miku noticed that Len was holding her bridal style._

_"Y-yeah," Len said._

_"But I was up so high," Miku pointed out, "with how fast I was falling the impact should've really hurt you. I mean broken bones hurt." Miku remembered hearing about a man who broke his back and became paralyzed after he had caught a man who feel through the upper floor of a building under construction._

_"I know," Len said, "but I'm fine. See?"_

_"But," Miku tried to make sense of things, "you knew by catching me you could've been severely hurt. Why did you still try to save me?"_

_"Like I would ever let you fall when I can help you," Len smiled, "you're too important to me." Miku noticed his face getting red, and she felt hers do the same. "Are you ready to stand up now?" he asked. "You're kind of heavy."_

_"Oh!" Miku realized he was still holding her, "I'm sorry." Len helped her stand up and held on to her until she regained her balance._

_"Maybe you should sit down," Len suggested. Miku agreed so he held her hand and led her to the tree._

_"This feels different," she thought. "Really different." Miku had held Len's hand countless times before, so why did that time feel so new to her?_

_After he helped her sit down he sat next to. After both were comfortable he asked, "Have any request?"_

_"What?" a confused Miku asked._

_"Would you like me to something for you?" he said. "You still seem shaken up so if there's anything I can do to help . . ." he trailed off but he gave her a big smile._

_"I never noticed what beautiful eyes he has," Miku thought quietly to herself. Out loud she said, "Sing."_

_"What?" it was his turn to be confused._

_"Sing for me," Miku said. "I want to hear the most beautiful song you know. Please?"_

_Len threw his head back as he thought about it. "Okay," he sighed in defeat._

_Miku watched as he sang for her. She listened carefully to every word and hummed with the rhythm._

"Here we are," Len said as they rode up to Miku's house.

"Rin is going to kill you," Miku laughed.

"I know," Len said. "Promise you won't ever forget me?"

Miku rolled her eyes. "Don't be such a drama king! Just make a break for it, she won't be able to catch you."

"A real man never runs from a fight."

"A real man does as a lady asks," Miku crossed her arms.

"I didn't know there were any ladies here," Len joked as he started laughing. He caught Miku's approaching hand by the wrist. "Not this time."

Miku tried to keep her face looking furious so if Len noticed her blush he would think she was red all because she was angry. "You can be a real jerk sometimes."

"I'm sorry," Len said, "but you're just too fun to tease."

"So are you," Miku returned. "Now let's put up our bikes and get inside."

Len dropped Miku's hand. "As you say, my princess."

"Stop calling me a princess!" Miku said, annoyed.

As she was putting up her bike, Miku caught herself humming the song Len had sung to her that day she fell out of the tree. That day may have been one where she was close to death, but it was also when Miku started feeling something she never thought she would ever feel.

The feeling of falling in love with your best friend.

* * *

Author's Note: Self-correction, Miku-Sama doesn't have a crush on Len-Kun, she's in love with him! *giggles again* I love the flashback scene; I loved writing it and I actually think I did a good job with it. Maybe there's some hope for future MikuXLen scenes from me. I don't know, I still majorly stink at romance.

-Ray


	10. Chapter 10

"I'm home!" Miku called when she opened the door.

"Welcome back!" Ann answered from the kitchen. "Did your friends agree to dinner?"

"Yes ma'am," Miku said. "Rin won't be here till later, but Len's already here."

Ann entered the room, wiping her hands on her apron. "Hi Len, it's nice to see you."

"It's nice to see you too," Len said politely.

"How's your mother?" Ann asked. "And what's holding Rin?"

"My mother is well," Len answered, "I'll tell her you said 'Hi.' As for Rin, she ran into a friend but she should be here soon enough."

Miku mentally laughed at Len's use of the word "friend."

Ann nodded. "Alrighty, hon. Dinner should be done in about an hour so you make yourself comfortable."

"I'll do that," Len said as she walked back into the kitchen. To Miku, "I keep forgetting what a nice woman your mom is, why am I not allowed to visit any more?"

"Because Dad doesn't like you," Miku said. Then she exclaimed "Oh! I forgot your book! Good thing you came over because I forgot to bring it to your house. Wait right here!" Miku then ran up the stairs to her room, leaving Len standing by the door. He then shook his head at his best friend's forgetfulness.

"Honey, I'm home!" a deep voice filled the house, followed by a closing door. "Len? What are you doing here?"

"Hello, Mr. Al," Len greeted. "Miku invited me over for dinner, I hope you don't mind."

"Miku invited just you?" Al questioned.

"Rin was invited too, she just got held up and will not be here until later."

"Daddy!" Miku said in her soft little girl voice, the one she used to smother her dad up when Len was around. "Glad you're home!" she kissed his check.

"And how's my little girl?" he asked.

"Great~," Miku sang. "I went to Rin and Len's house today for a picnic and then I invited them over for dinner."

"How was the picnic?" he asked.

"Good," Miku said, "I meet some people from the neighborhood and they invited me to the bonfire next weekend. May I go? Please?" Miku used her signature puppy dogs eyes, the ones she used whenever she wanted to get her own way.

"I don't know," Al said.

"Rin and I will be there," Len said.

"Well if Rin's there then you can go," he said. Miku and Len both noticed that he only approved of Rin.

"Thank you Daddy," Miku threw her arms around him.

After Al went to the kitchen Miku grabbed Len and led him to the living room. "Sorry about him."

"You say that every time he and I interact," Len sighed.

"He shouldn't treat you that way!" Miku loudly whispered, but was quiet enough to not be overheard. "You're my best friend, I've known you since Kindergarten! I don't see why he treats you so coldly."

"Have you noticed that it's been that way since you turned thirteen?" Len asked.

"Yeah, so?" Miku crossed her arms. Len gave her a look and Miku understood. "Please tell me you're not thinking what I think you're thinking!" she gasped. Len nodded. "But we're friends!"

"It's just that I'm a seventeen year old boy and you're a sixteen year old girl, and we hang out all the time," Len said. "What are most people going to think?"

Miku shook her head in horror. "I'll point out that I'm a virgin! Heck! I've never even been kissed by a boy!"

"Good luck convincing that to him," Len sat on the couch. "I know that we're just friends. You know that we're just friends. That's all that we are: just friends."

A pain stabbed Miku at those words. Just friends. "Len," she sat close to him, "I need to tell you that-"

"I hope you don't mind me walking on you," Al walked into the room.

"We were just talking," Miku said as she tried to hide the annoyance in her voice.

"Well it's sports night," Al said, "would you two like to join me?"

"Sure," Len said trying to sound the least bit interested. "I hope Rin gets here soon, you know how she loves sports."

"That I do," Al said. "How's Rin been?"

"Good," Len said, "she's running late but she should be here soon."

Al said nothing but switched on the T.V. and sat in his recliner.

Miku shook her head when she noticed her father catching glances at the two of them every one and again. She was a good girl, shouldn't he at least believe that? And Len was her friend since childhood, they practically grew up together. Besides, he was friend-zoned a long time ago, or so the kids in school say, but it's also that he never showed the slightest bit of interest in her. She smiled the smallest of smiles, Len may be Miku's best guy friend, but she still had deep feelings for him. She wanted to know what he thought about her, but would it be worth it to ask? Or would things get awkward between the two?

"Miku," Len quietly said when he was sure Al was too absorbed into the sports to notice.

"Yes?"

"What about my book?" he joked. "You ran upstairs to get it for me but came back without it."

In his ear she said, "I heard my Dad come in and I gave up my search in order to keep him from interviewing you like he normally does."

After a moment Len whispered "Thanks."

The two sat together in awkward silence. Miku's phone buzzed. "Rin's outside," Miku said loud enough for only Len to hear. "She want us to meet her out there."

"I have a feeling that she has murder involved in the next ten minutes."

"She can't touch me," Miku smirked, "but the choice is up to you: face Rin or stay here with my Dad."

Len didn't even have to think. "Let's not keep Rin waiting."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Why did you guys leave without me?!" Rin demanded when Miku and Len walked outside. One look at her face and anybody could tell that she was furious.

I don't think either of us could have pulled you away from Nero," Len said. "I'm amazed neither of you killed each other yet."

"How do you know I didn't kill him?" Rin challenged.

"Because you would have called and asked us to help you bury the body," Miku answered.

Rin sighed. "Anyway, just don't do that agian. Miku, you need to be protected."

"I was with her," Len pointed out.

"But would that be enough?" Rin said. "You said so yourself that you weren't sure if you could ever bring yourself to kill."

"Hold up!" Miku exclaimed. "Kill?"

"Vampires, not people," Len said.

"If a vampire threatens your life we must kill it immediately," Rin said.

"But still," Miku said, "kill?"

"We are only killing killers," Len said, "vampires are merciless creatures that must be destroyed if they dare threaten a White Flower."

"Don't worry, Miku," Rin said when she noticed that Miku was still tensed up, "we only attack vampires that threaten White Flowers; vampires that only wish for peace aren't bothered by us." Under her breath Rin said, "Now if only there were vampires that wanted peace."

"Okay, I understand," Miku said, "as my protectors I know you'll do what's best. I just hope it won't come to that."

"So do we," Len said.

"Dinner's ready!" Ann's sweet voice called them.

"Great!" Rin exclaimed. "I'm starved!"

* * *

Author's Note: Normally I see Len-Kun having a crush on Miku-Sama while she's totally oblivious to it, but doing it the other way around here is actually a nice change for me. I actually heard that officially Len-Kun does have a crush on Miku-Sama, and from what I've seen on the Project Diva games (not that I own one, sadly) he does seem to like her. Not to mention the LenXMiku festivals actually held in Japan! I choose right to start pairing MikuXLen. I stinking love those two! :D

-Ray


	11. Chapter 11

"So who is going to be at the bonfire?" Miku asked when she entered the Kagamine home.

"You, me, and Len, of course," Rin named, "it's a Kaito's house so obviously him, Luka, Meiko, Neru, Haku, and the idiot."

"Nero," Miku giggled.

"Don't say his name in my presence," Rin growled.

"Sorry, your highness," Miku curtsied. Rin just stared at her.

"Ready to go?" Len said as he ran downstairs.

"And girls take forever to get ready," Rin said as she walked away.

"What's up with her?" Len asked Miku.

"She's not exactly excited that you-know-who is going to be at the bonfire tonight," Miku answered.

"Well Neru was invited," Len said, "we just couldn't not invite him."

"I know that." Miku pointed to herself. "You know that." Miku pointed to Len. "Just she doesn't know that," Miku pointed to Rin.

"Hurry up!" Rin shouted from the front door.

"Coming!" Miku and Len said at the same time as they rushed towards Rin.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Hiya Rinny," Nero excitingly greeted her when he opened the door.

"Your only alive because I don't want to go to prison," Rin mumbled as she walked past him, not caring if he had heard.

"Hey Nero," Miku said as she walked through the door.

"Hey Miku," he said. "Len, what's up?"

"Nothing much," Len said. "Other than putting up with Rin while she plans your death out loud, life couldn't be better."

Nero chuckled as he shook his head. "For your sake, I'll be good tonight."

"Thank you," Len sighed.

"Why do you and Rin fight so much?" Miku asked.

Nero shrugged. "She strongly dislikes me, so of course she'll never agree with me. If I told her that the sky was blue and the grass was green, she wouldn't believe me."

"Only Rin can argue about the sky not being blue," Miku shook her head.

"What are you still doing out there?" Kaito came into view. "Come in, the party's about to start."

Miku and Len walked into his home. The walls were beige and the wooden floors were dark. The cream colored sofa looked as if it were made with velvet and the coffee table was made out of glass. The kitchen had more of a homey style; the counter and cabinets were made of wood and the black and white tile on the floor seemed to be out of date. Sitting on the dinning room table was Luka, Meiko, and the girls Miku assumed were Haku and Neru.

"Glad you could come," Meiko said to them.

"I'm glad I was invited," Miku said.

The girl with the white hair walked up to Miku and offered her hand. "My name is Haku Yowane; I'm a White Flower like you." She spoke quietly and didn't make an effort to make eye contact.

Miku gently accepted the hand. "And my name is Miku Hatsune. It's very nice to meet you, Haku."

The blond girl came up behind. "I'm Neru, by the way. I'm Haku's protector."

Neru didn't really look like Nero, despite being his older sister. His hair was a dark blond while Neru's was a bright yellow. Neru had a more of a round, adult face; and Nero looked more like a thirteen year old and not the seventeen year old that he was. The only similarity between them was their gold-yellow eye color.

"Nice to see you, Miku," Luka said. "How have you been?"

"Good," Miku said. "And you?"

"Never better," Luka said. She then wiggled her finger, signaling Miku to get closer. When Miku was close enough Luka pulled her down and whispered in her ear, "I have some important issues that I need to discuss with you. At the bonfire, when I say I'm going in to get everybody a drink I want you to volunteer to help me. Okay?"

Miku hummed a yes as she stood straight and took a step back. Whatever Luka wanted to share with her was not for others' ears. A fear crept up Miku's spine when she thought about what Luka might want to say. Luka gave a sweet smile and nodded her head as a signal to go on.

Miku walked over to Rin, Neru, and Haku and tried joining in the conversation, learning about the new faces as a result. Haku Yowane was nineteen, had long white hair tied in a large purple bow, red eyes, and she was incredibly shy. Neru Akita was also nineteen and her blond hair was cut to her ears; she was rather talkative as she talked for both herself and Haku.

"So who's ready to start the bonfire?" Kaito asked everybody.

Everyone cheered as they began to go outside. Outside the girls sat on one side of the fire and the boys on the other. The order on the girls' side from right to left was Rin, Miku, Haku, Neru, Luka, and Meiko; from left to right on the boys' was Len, Nero, and Kaito.

"Miss Hatsune?" Haku addressed quietly.

"No need to be formal," Miku said, "please call me Miku."

"Miku," Haku said even quieter, "is it true that you healed a broken back on your first try?"

"Yes," Miku slowly said, "but I didn't know what I was doing."

"But you still healed it perfectly?"

"I . . . I guess so. Why?"

Haku shifted nervously. "Because we White Flowers have to learn how to heal others; fixing broken backs is something only the most experienced healers can do."

"Wait," Luka butted in, "you healed a broken back? When? And how come I'm now just hearing of it?"

"I didn't know it was being talked about," Miku threw her arms up. "I had no clue what I was even doing then."

"And you still managed to heal a broken bone perfectly?" Meiko asked. "Luka has been training for five years now; all she can do is cuts, burns, and torn muscles. A broken bone is a hard thing to do."

"Who did she even heal?" Kaito asked.

Soon everyone was bugging Miku with questions. In her frustration, Miku put her hands over her ears and tried to block them out. Rin was getting sick of it too.

"Enough!" she shouted as she stood up. "Miku doesn't know how she did it! Okay? I'm surprised too, but I know pushing questions on her won't help!"

Miku slowly relaxed when Rin sat back down next to her. Only Rin, Len, and Nero didn't look guilty from the extreme questioning, as they were the only ones who didn't interrogate Miku.

"Sorry, Miku," Haku said in her soft voice. "I didn't mean to create an uproar."

"It's okay," Miku replied as she smiled at the shy girl. Miku then asked, "How did you know about it anyway?"

"Nero told us," Neru answered for the both of them.

"And how did the moron find out?" Rin sneered.

"That would be my fault," Len said. "We were discussing our previous fights with vampires and I said too much."

"It's so cool how you totally healed him, Miku!" Nero said. "He said that he couldn't even get his back legs to move before you got to him."

"What?" Neru looked concerned. "Len, your back was broken? How bad were you hurt?"

Len cast his eyes downward. "I couldn't get my back legs to move; I couldn't even feel them. I think my back was completely broken, and if I had not been healed by Miku, then I would be paralyzed right now."

"Whoa," Meiko said in amazement. "You're really something, kid. Paralysis is something that you have to be a master to heal, and even then recovery isn't garunteed. You really have talent."

"Thank you," Miku said shyly. "But maybe I should take some lessons. That time was a fluke so if the need ever arises again I'd like to know what I'm doing."

"You can take lessons with Haku and me," Luka said. "We're taught by our healer, miss Dr. Mizki VY."

"She's very good," Haku whispered.

Miku didn't even have to think about it. "Okay, I'll go. When's class?"

"We can start tomorrow, I'm sure," Luka said. "Dr. VY would love to teach you so I'm positive she will find time, even if she has to cancel some things."

"Is she that eager a teacher?" Miku asked.

It was Rin who spoke. "I think she's only interested because of who you are. Who wouldn't want to teach the last Hatsune? Who wouldn't want to be in the favor of a princess?"

"Rinny has a point," Nero spoke up. "I hear some people planning to gain some of her favor and all that stuff." He snorted. "I don't care what your brithright is; Miku, you are one awesome girl! I would hang out with you any day!"

Miku saw Len shoot Nero a glance, and she found the look on Len's face so adorable and funny that she couldn't help but laugh.

"Did I say something wrong?" Nero cluelessly asked.

"No," Miku shook her head. "Sorry, laugh attack."

"You're one weird girl," Neru rolled her eyes. At least by that statement Miku knew that Neru also didn't care about Miku's status.

"I'm kind of thirsty," Kaito said. "Is anybody else thirsty?"

"How about I go get everyone a drink?" Luka suggested.

Miku swallowed, this was the moment that she was waiting for, and even with the time she had she couldn't prepare herself.

"Let me help you," Miku said in the most cheerful voice she could muster.

* * *

Author's Note: Cliffhanger! What is so important that Luka-San had to talk to Miku-Sama in private? Well you'll have to wait to find out. Unless you're a reader from the future and the next chapter is already up, then you only have to wait for the next chapter to load.

-Ray


	12. Chapter 12

"So what did you want to tell me?" Miku asked quietly when she and Luka were in the house.

"I overheard some rather interesting information," Luka said as she took out some glasses. "Turns out, you were right."

"About what?" Miku fearfully asked as she grabbed the soda out from the fridge.

"The vampires are after you," Luka said flatly. "They want to . . . finish the job."

"What job?" Miku asked, putting ice into the glasses.

Luka unscrewed the Cola lid. "Vampires, it seems, always finish a job; even if the descendants still continue the work. I think," Luka took a deep breath, "that the war that killed most of the Hatsunes wasn't just some random revolt."

"Are you saying you think somebody hired the vampires to start the war?" Miku asked.

"No," Luka looked upset, "to kill the entire Hatsune family. The war was just a cover-up."

"Why-why-" Miku was badly shaken, "why would somebody d-do that?"

"I don't know," Luka answered. "All I can figure is that some Hatsunes had survived the war and have continued to flee the vampires. One by one the Hatsunes were killed," Luka turned around, "and now all we have left is you. How your ancestors lasted as long as they did is a mystery, but now the question is if you are the first Hatsune seen by this tribe in the past two hundred years, then is it possible you still have living family?"

Miku sank to her knees. "I don't know," tears slipped from her eyes. "Am I the last Hatsune? Or do I still have blood relatives?" Miku threw her head down as the tears streamed down her face. "No, I'm the last one. If there were more I'm sure I wouldn't be the vampires greatest concern."

Luka crouched down and hugged the weeping girl. "Don't cry, Miku. This isn't your fault."

"It is my fault!" Miku cried. "If it were not for me then there wouldn't be so many vampires!"

"Shhh," Luka soothed. "We will get this all straightened out."

"Okay," Miku nodded. "Now let's get everyone's soda," Miku laughed. "We shouldn't keep them waiting any longer." So Luka poured the Cola while Miku washed her face with cold water. "Luka," Miku said slowly, "I can't help but wonder, why did you tell me this?"

"It concerns you," Luka said sternly, "I'm not going to keep secrets that involve you."

"What about Rin and Len?" Miku asked. "Shouldn't they know?"

"I'll leave that decision up to you," Luka said. "I told Meiko because she isn't one to talk, but Kaito knows nothing. I hope you're okay with Meiko knowing."

"I'm not bothered," Miku said, "she seems very dependable."

"She is," Luka smiled. "I would trust her with anything."

"I guess I should tell them," Miku said, "but I'm not sure if I need to give them anything to worry about."

"Think it through," Luka advised. "I didn't tell Meiko until last night, and I had know since shortly after the picnic."

Miku nodded. The girls had finally filled up nine glass with iced soda, set them on a tray, and went back outside.

"What took you so long?!" Kaito complained.

"Just shut up and be grateful they brought you some!" Meiko rebuked.

"Who says we brought him some?" Luka giggled.

Miku took her spot next to Rin and Haku and gave them their soda. "Thank you, Miku," Haku said quietly.

"You're welcome!" Miku said. Miku found Haku to be such a sweet girl and took a liking to her. "So Haku," Miku said, "how did you learn you were a White Flower?"

Haku spun her cup around as she prepared herself to talk. "Neru told me before I turned fifteen. I thought she was crazy, but she phased in front me to prove to me that she was telling the truth." Miku laughed. "D-did I say something wrong?" Haku asked worriedly.

"No," Miku smiled. "It's just I saw Rin phase to fight a vampire before I got so much as a word of explanation."

"That must have been scary," Haku said.

"Nearly wet myself," Miku whispered, getting Haku to laugh. "Hey Haku," Miku said. When Haku gave Miku her attention Miku continued. "Would you like to be friends?"

"With you?" Haku gasped, unbelieving. After Miku nodded she looked at her glass and said, "Nobody's ever wanted to be my friend before."

"Well I do," Miku smiled. "You're very nice, Haku. And pretty too."

"Really?" Haku asked. "Th-th-thanks, Miku; I'd l-love to b-be friends."

Miku hugged the shy girl. "Don't be so scared, I won't bite."

"Awww," Rin said, "that's so cute!"

"Miku," Luka laughed, "you're such a friendly girl."

"I try," Miku smiled. To Neru she said, "Want to be friends, too?"

Neru rolled her eyes. "Sure, whatever."

"Don't be rude, Neru!" Haku reproachfully said. "Miku is just being nice."

"What about me?" Nero crossed his arms. "Aren't I your friend."

"Please," Rin snorted, "who'd want to be friends with you?!"

"Here we go," Len said.

Soon enough the bonfire was covered with Rin and Nero's argument. First Len slipped away, followed by Miku and Haku, then Neru, Luka, and Meiko soon left. Kaito stayed behind to see how long the argument would go on.

"Look at the time!" Meiko said. "You kids should be getting home," she said to Len and Miku.

"We need to wait for Rin," Len said, "she has the house key."

"We're going to be here all night!" Miku complained.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"And this is my room," Rin said as she came to the end of the second floor of her tour. Rin's room had yellow walls, a white carpet, and wallpaper on the last inch on the top of the wall. Her room had a balcony-like window with a nice view, on the right wall was a desk and closet, and on the left wall was Rin's bed and dresser. The bed comforter, to Miku's surprise, had a pink, blue, and purple floweral patter.

"I didn't know tomboy Rin liked such girly stuff," Miku said as she examined Rin's jewelry box.

"I still prefer to play basket ball over painting my nails," Rin said.

"That a don't doubt," Miku said when she noticed how rough Rin's nails were. "The least you can do is care for them."

Rin rolled her eyes. "I cut them yesterday. Isn't that care enough?"

Miku could be amazed at Rin's lack of personal hygiene sometimes. "Don't you find it shameful that Len has better nails than you?"

"Shameful for him!" Rin snorted while she was digging in her dresser. "I'm getting a shower, you can go next."

Miku shrugged her shoulders. At least Rin wasn't going to let herself smell like smoke. After Rin left Miku looked through Rin's stuff so she could find something to entertain herself with. "Doesn't she read?!" Miku thought. "All I see is video games!" Miku searched for a little longer but gave up. "Len might have something interesting," she thought. Miku then remembered that she had brought Len's book with her and knew now was the perfect time to return it to him. Miku dug Eragon out of her suitcase and made her way to Len's room.

"Who is it?" Len asked when Miku knocked on his door.

"It's Miku," Miku answered, "I finally remembered to give you your book back."

"It's about time!" Len said when he opened the door.

"May I read the next one?" Miku asked. "Rin only has video games in her room."

"Come in," Len invited. Len's room had orange walls and a wooden floor. The wall with the door was covered with bookshelves and a desk, the wall to the right had his bed, and the wall to the left had his dresser and closet. He didn't have a balcony window like Rin did, just a small square window similar to the one Miku had in her room.

"Your room is cleaner than mine!" Miku laughed.

"Contrary to what you believe," Len said as he searched for the next book, "putting away your clothes doesn't kill you."

Miku sat on his bed and noticed the stuffed animals he had. "Sonic, Pikachu, Knuckles," she named as she went through each one. "And the wolf I got you for your sixth birthday!" Miku thought back to that day; she and the twins had only known each other for about four months at the time, but they were already stuck together like glue.

"You mean Balto?" Len laughed as he pulled out the book he was searching for.

"Funny that it turned out that you are a wolf," Miku said. "Now I understand why your mother was laughing so hard when you got it." She put the wolf down and continued looking through his plush collection. "You have more stuffed toys than I do!" Miku exclaimed.

"You're the one who gave me all the Sonic ones!" Len pointed out as he sat down on his desk chair.

"And you kept them all these years?" Miku asked as she went through yet another Sonic doll.

"They were gifts from you to me," Len said, "I'm not going to just toss them out!"

Miku looked at a Charmander doll. "I gave this to Rin," she said with a frown.

"She liked the Charizard figure you gave me better so she forced me to trade with her," Len laughed.

Miku laughed along with him but quieted down when she remembered Luka's words from earlier that night. "Len. . ." she trailed off but spoke again, "do think it's possible that I'm the vampires' target?"

"You're a White Flower," Len reminded her, "all White Flowers are targeted by vampires."

"No," Miku said, "I mean more targeted than normal. What I think is that the vampires want me dead. Me specifically."

"And why you?" Len asked.

"Because I'm the last Hatsune," she whispered.

"Don't worry Miku," Len said, "nobody's going to get you, not as long as I'm around."

"Thanks," Miku whispered.

"No need to thank me," Len said, "you're my best friend, nobody needs to even ask me to protect you."

Miku stood up and gave the sitting Len a hug. "I'm glad we're friends," she said.

"Me too," Len returned the hug. When they broke the hug Len handed her the book. "Don't forget to give this back when you finish reading it."

"I'll try not to," Miku giggled. "Good night Len!" Miku said as she left his room.

"Good night Miku!"

* * *

Author's Note: If it weren't for the fact that Luka-San told Miku-Sama that the vampires were hired to kill her, this would basically be a filler chapter. I need to stop writing filler content.

Anyway, vampires are hunting down Miku-Sama because they were given the job to kill every Hatsune. I didn't really plan out how the Hatsunes made it all the way to Miku-Sama (thus creating a bit of a plot hole) but the fact that she's the one they specifically want dead does, I hope, add a little twist to things.

-Ray


	13. Chapter 13

Miku had woken up before Rin so she changed into her white knee-length skirt and sky blue shirt and went downstairs to find something for breakfast. "Eggs, eggs, eggs~" Miku sang as she searched the fridge. "No eggs," she concluded with a frown. Miku just shrugged it off and looked for the coffee. After preparing the coffee maker, Miku went back to her search for breakfast. "Maybe pop tarts will do," she said to herself. "Do they even have pop tarts?"

"We do."

Miku nearly jumped out of her skin at the answer. Spinning around, she saw Len laughing at her. "Geez!" Miku held her heart. "You gave me a freaking heart attack!"

"Watch your language," Len said as he continued laughing.

"Don't sneak up on like that!" Miku said in anger. "You could've killed me!"

Len shook his head as his laughter continued. "I wish I caught that on video."

Miku shook her head as she looked in the pantry. Grabbing the pop tarts, she walked to the toaster and put two in for her. "Do you want some?" she asked.

"Yes please," Len said as he peeled a banana. "Want a banana?" he offered.

"Sure," Miku said. She accepted his banana then looked for mugs as she peeled the fruit.

"Other cabinet," Len instructed her.

"Where do you keep the creamer?" Miku asked as she took out two mugs with one hand and continued to eat her banana with the other.

"Don't have any," Len said as he swallowed another bite of banana.

"Why not?" Miku gave him a questioning look.

"Black coffee taste great. Why ruin it with creamer?"

"I'll just use milk," Miku said. She couldn't stand black coffee, but her friends seemed to really like it.

"Good morning," Rin yawned as she entered the kitchen. She was still in her bubble gum pajamas and her hair unbrushed.

"Good morning, bed head," Miku greeted.

"Oh, you made coffee," Rin said as she proceeded to get a mug for herself, but before she got to the cabinet she saw the box of pop tarts and said, "Oh yummy, I like pop tarts." Before she grabbed the box she looked up and said, "Do we have any orange juice?"

"Rin's attention span is very short in the morning," Len said to the perplexed Miku.

"Then we had better give her some caffeine," Miku joked. She had never seen Rin so out of it.

"Why do that?" Len asked playfully. "Now's the time to insult her and get away with it."

"I don't have memory lose, you know," Rin said, now forgetting about the orange juice she had wanted.

"Here," Miku poured a cup for Rin and handed it to her, "sit down and I'll make breakfast for you."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After breakfast the three of them, at Miku's request, walked to the neighborhood park. Rin changed into a pair of jean shorts and threw on a random T-shirt from her dresser. "T-shirts match anything," she had told Miku when she gave Rin a weird look.

"This feels so good!" Miku cheered. She twirled around as the warm sun sank into her bones and the breeze gently touched her face. "It's warm - but not too warm, the breeze is cool, and there's not a cloud in the sky - can you ask for a more perfect day?"

"You're going to get dizzy if you keep spinning like that," Rin said to her childish friend.

"Come on, Rin," Miku approached the blond, "dance with me!" With that Miku grabbed Rin's hands into her own and pulled her ahead of Len. The two girls, hand in hand, dance and twirled on the soft grass.

Len, chuckling at the sight, sat down by a tree and watched the two girls play. "Keep that up and you'll fall over from being so dizzy!" he warned them.

"I don't care!" Miku's singing voice rang. After she and Rin had danced some more, Miku let go of Rin and fell back. Stretching her arms out, Miku took in a deep breath of summer air. "Almost a shame it's a cloudless day," she said, "I love finding ones with shapes."

Rin lied next to her. "It can't be helped."

"Yeah," Miku sighed. She closed her eyes and let the sunshine cover her whole body. "If only every day was like this. I don't want to grow up, I'm not ready."

"I don't think we'll ever be ready," Rin said. "Guess we have to make the most of it."

"I guess we should," Miku said. Sitting up she said, "I'm going to go for a walk; if that's okay, of course."

"I don't mind," Rin sighed.

"Len?"

"..."

"Len?" Miku asked. "He's asleep," she realized.

"Just go," Rin said. "This is wolf territory, you have nothing to worry about."

Miku nodded as she stood up. She walked around the park, taking in all the smells. Miku walked half a circle before she came upon an unexpected sight.

"Miku?" Len woke up when he heard his blue haired best friend scream at the top of her lungs.

"Oh no!" Rin gasped as she stood up and ran towards the direction of the scream. Len, as fast as he was, outran Rin with ease and got way ahead of her.

"Miku?!" he called when he was sure he was close to her. He saw Miku frozen stiff so he made his way towards and called her name. "Miku?"

"Len!" she cried as she threw her arms around his neck and began crying on his shoulder. Len's arms instinctively wrapped around Miku when he saw what had frightened her so.

On the grass was a girl lying there motionless . . . dead. Her skin was whiter than it should have been, and her eyes were filled with the horror of her last minutes of life. On her neck was marks that only vampires could leave; this girl had been killed by a single vampire.

"Miku?" Rin ran up to them. "Oh!" she covered her mouth with her hand when she saw the dead White Flower. "This . . . this is horrible!" she cried.

"Call Dad!" Len ordered as he held onto the sobbing Miku. Rin said nothing but nodded and left as she took out her cell phone. Len looked at the dead girl, wanting to look away but couldn't. "How did this happen?" he wondered aloud. Miku's cries increased as she began to tremble. "It's okay," he stroked Miku, "I won't let that happen to you."

"But what about that poor girl?" Miku cried. "How did she get killed? Isn't this supposed to be the safest place for White Flowers?"

"And where were her protectors?" Len asked himself. He tightened his grip on Miku as he thought about how easily this girl must've been killed. He would never let a vampire near Miku; NEVER.

"Dad and Lady Megurine are on their way!" Rin announced when she came back. "What should we do?"

"We should get Miku out of here," Len said quietly.

"Come on, Miku," Rin said to her best friend, "you should sit down."

Miku nodded as she slowly let go of Len. Len let go of Miku and made sure she didn't see the body again as she grabbed onto Rin. Miku, wrapping her arms around one of Rin's, slowly walked away from the horrible scene. Rin and Len were both just as shocked about this as Miku was, but as her protectors they had to stay strong and be her rock. Rin led Miku to a park bench and sat down with her as Miku mourned the loss of the poor girl. "It's my fault!" Miku wailed. "The vampires are after me and she just happened to be there! I'm to blame for her death!"

"No, Miku," Rin said as she attempted to comfort her friend, "this isn't your fault."

"It is!" Miku protested, sobbing her rushed words. "Two hundred years ago somebody hired the vampires to kill every single Hatsune and now that I'm the last one they're all after me!"

"Miku," Rin grew concerned, "who told you this?"

"Luka," Miku hiccuped, "she said she overheard Lady Megurine talking about this to Mr. Kagamine! The vampires are after me! I'm to blame!"

"Oh sweetie," Rin said as she hugged her dear friend. "Nobody holds you responsible."

"They will once they now the vampires want me dead," Miku cried. "Just kill me now and spare everyone else!"

Rin broke her hug and slapped Miku across the face. "Don't talk like that! Nobody's going to kill you! I would never let that happen! And Len wouldn't either!"

"But-"

"And no 'but's," Rin said. "I know you're going to say that your life isn't worth everyone else's, but you're my best friend! Anybody who's going to kill you has to kill me first, and, believe me, I am not going down with out a fight."

Miku said nothing but hung her head and began crying. Len soon walked up but didn't say a word to the either of them. He sat on the empty space next to Miku, patted her back, and took her hand in his. The three of them sat like that until Mr. Kagamine and Lady Megurine showed.

"Where's the girl?" Mr. Kagamine said, surprisingly emotionless.

"I'll take you to-" Rin began but was cut off by her father.

"Len, why don't you show me."

Len let go of Miku and led the way. "Here she is," he said as they came up to the body. He bit his lip as he again saw her horror filled eyes. What was it like to know that you were a mere few seconds from death? How does it feel to know your death will grant your killer immortality? This girl should know better than anyone, but she wasn't alive to share her horrid experience.

"We have some wolves on the way," Lady Megurine said to Len, "they will take care of her."

"Miku discovered her," Len said, "and she . . . didn't take it well."

"By the way she was clinging to you and your sister I thought maybe she had witnessed the murder," Lady Megurine said.

"She only saw the body," Len said.

"How are you and she getting along?" Mr. Kagamine randomly asked.

Len gave him a confused look but answered anyway. "Same as ever. Why?"

"Just wondering," his father answered.

"Well, if it's okay with you I'm going to see if she's all right," Len said as he began to leave.

"Don't forget the law, young Kagamine," Lady Megurine told Len.

Len stiffened for a moment but continued on as he said, "I never have."

* * *

Author's Note: For those of you who thought that this was going to be a fluffy, happy story: you're wrong! I have some pretty dark scenes in mind (or I at least hope that they're dark) so from here on out you can say that the mood of this story has officially shifted. Don't get me wrong, I love fluff, but I also really enjoy dark themes.

-Ray


	14. Chapter 14

"You don't have to do this," Rin said as she walked Miku to Dr. VY's house. Len had stayed behind to answer questions about the girl's body so only Rin was with Miku.

"I need to learn how to use my healing powers," Miku said, "so I really do have to do this."

"But aren't you still upset?" Rin asked, tightening her grip on Miku's hand.

"Yes," Miku admitted, "but I shouldn't let that delay my learning. What if something happened to you and I didn't know what to do? I need to learn as much as I can as fast as I can."

Rin sighed in defeat. "All right, if you say so. Just remember, what happened to that girl wasn't your fault. She was just at the wrong place at the wrong time."

Miku said nothing for a while. After a moment of silence passed between them Miku said, "I know, but I can't help but feel responsible."

"Nobody blames you," Rin said for the dozenth time that day. Miku didn't say anything so they walked the rest of the way to Dr. VY's house in silence. "Here we are," Rin said when they had arrived.

"Hey girls!" Meiko greeted them. She was with Kaito and Neru, sitting outside and seemed to be having a good time.

"What's up, Miku?" Kaito asked with a friendly smile. When he saw Miku's sad expression he asked, "What's wrong? You seem down."

"Miku," Rin said quietly, "go inside; I'll tell them everything." Miku seemed uneasy. "Since Meiko, Kaito, and Neru are here then Luka and Haku have to be inside. So don't be nervous." Miku slowly walked to the brick house and knocked on the door.

After Miku was inside Rin approached the group. "I have bad news."

"What's the problem?" Neru asked.

Rin took in a deep breath. "Miku, Len, and I were in the park this morning and Miku discovered," Rin had to force the words out, "a White Flower . . . killed by a vampire."

Everyone dropped their jaws. "Please tell me you're joking!" Neru said. "It's a sick thing to joke about but please tell me it's only a joke."

"It's true," Rin whispered, "I saw her myself."

The three of them were silent, sinking in Rin's words. "This-" Meiko said quietly, "this is impossible."

"Who was it?" Kaito asked.

"I don't know," Rin shook her head. "She had green hair and eyes but other than that I know nothing about her."

"Wait," Meiko dug into her pockets. She pulled out her wallet and took a photo from it. "Was it . . . her?"

"Yes!" Rin gasped when she saw the picture of Luka and the green head. "You knew her?!"

"Not really," Meiko shook her head. "Her name was Gumi, she took class with Luka and they got along all right. We didn't know her well, but Luka will be devastated to hear that she's dead."

"What about her protector?" Rin asked. "Why wasn't he around?"

"She has none," Kaito answered. "She was in the process of getting a new protector."

"Why?" Rin quietly asked even though she already figured out the answer.

"Because they broke the law," Neru said flatly.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Hello," the woman who answered the door for Miku greeted. She was two inches shorted then Miku, and had chin length curly black hair. "Come in."

"You must be Dr. Mizki VY," Miku said as she entered the house.

"And you must be Miku," said the doctor. "I've heard so much about you."

"Then you know how eager I am to learn," Miku smiled as she followed Dr. VY down the hall.

"I heard that you have great potential," Dr. VY said. "Did you truly heal a broken back?"

"Yes ma'am," Miku answered. "I did not know what I was doing, to be completely honest."

"It's okay," Dr. VY said, "I have some exercises that should help you learn how to use this power at will." She led Miku into a room that had pink wallpaper, a wooden floor with a pink rug, and a glass table surrounded by white chairs.

"Miku," Haku's eyes lit up, "it's so nice to see you here."

"Hello, Haku," Miku greeted. "And it's nice to see you too, Luka."

"Good afternoon, Miku," Luka returned the greeted. "How have you been?"

Miku shifted uneasily. "If you don't know now then you'll hear later." Luka was confused by Miku's answer but said nothing of it.

"Shall we begin, ladies?" Dr. VY said. After Miku took a seat between Haku and Luka, Dr. VY continued. "Today we will practice on cuts and burns. Who would like to go first?"

"I will," Luka said confidenlty.

"Cut or burn?"

Luka thought for a moment. "Cut." Dr. VY took the knife from the table and slid it across her arm, drawing blood.

"Oh my gosh!" Miku jumped. "What-what are you-"

"Calm down, Miku," Dr. VY said, "I have to give you girls something to practice on, so why not let it be myself? Observe." Luka placed her hand on the doctor's cut and focused herself. When she had let go, Dr. VY's skin was smooth again. "I inflict harm upon myself in order for you girls to learn proper healing techniques, it is how healing has been teached for centuries."

"I see," Miku said as she slowly sat back down. "So you are also going to burn yourself too?"

"Yes," Dr. VY nodded. "Sometimes we will go to our tribe's hospital and have the girls practice their healing abilities there, but that's only for advanced students like Luka and Haku."

"I think I understand," Miku said quietly.

"Would you like to try?" the doctor asked.

Miku slowly approached Dr. VY. "I think I can try."

"Good," the woman smiled. She slit the blade across her arm again. "Try to heal me."

Miku tried to reach out but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Seeing the blood reminded her of this morning's sight, the poor girl who had all her blood sucked up from her very being. "I can't do it!" Miku said before she fled the room. She ran up the stairs, not caring where they went, and into the first room she came to. Looking around, Miku noticed she had entered a study. She saw a movement coming from the corner, so she moved towards it and saw it was a brown cardinal in a bird cage. "Hello," Miku greeted the bird, "how are you?" Miku noticed that the bird's right wing was wrapped up.

"I see you've met Missy," Dr. VY's voice said.

"I apologize for running off like that," Miku said, "I should not have done that."

"It's okay," Dr. VY said, "it's natural to be nervous." She noticed how Miku was looking at the bird. "She flew into my window last week and broke her wing. I have healed broken bones before, but it's such a difficult process that we healers tend to let bones heal naturally. I wanted to heal Missy - as I have come to call her - but I am unfamiliar with the bird bone structure so I am afraid I can't do so."

"May . . ." Miku said slowly, "may I try?"

Dr. VY looked surprised but didn't object. She took Missy out of the bird cage and carefully unwrapped the wing. "Be very careful," she advised, "don't scare her."

Miku nodded slowly as she reached for the bird. Placing her hand on Missy's wing, Miku focused her energy and tried to figure out how she was doing this. Miku began to understand her healing abilities as she felt a music-like sensation flow from her to the bird. Soon Miku's hand began to glow as well as the bird wing. After the musical sensation ended, Miku picked up Missy and rubbed her head.

"Did you . . ." Dr. VY began to ask but was in too much disbelief to finish.

"Let's see," Miku smiled as she headed towards the window. Dr. VY opened the window for Miku so that Miku's hands went outside. Miku opened her hands for the bird, and Missy hopped about on Miku's hands before taking off in flight.

"Amazing," Dr. VY gasped. "You are of rare talent . . . like Lola."

* * *

Author's Note: So sorry for the short chapter! Writing it felt like ages and now reading it feels like seconds. I know short updates are better than none at all, but I just prefer to publish longer chapters. Short chapters make it look as if I don't even try.

-Ray


	15. Chapter 15

"Dr. VY," a confused Miku asked, "who is Lola?"

Instead of answering her, Dr. VY went to a bookshelf and pulled out a large book. The cover was so worn and the pages were so yellow that Miku suspected the book to be very old. Dr. VY opened the book and flipped through the pages until she came upon the page she was searching for. "Here," she pointed out. Miku looked at an illustration of a young woman with long blond hair and dark blue eyes. "When Lola was twelve years old, her younger sister fell out of a tree and broke her leg so badly that her bone had pierced through her skin. Both girls said that Lola healed her sister's compound fracture, but since only the two girls had witnessed it, nobody believed either of them. Lola became the center of ridicule throughout the whole kingdom; even her own parents had made fun of the girl.

"Then one day, as she was helping her father with the plowing, the horse fell and broke its leg. Before her father could kill it, Lola healed the horse's leg so well that it appeared as if it were never broken. Her father was astonished and soon spread word of his daughter's miraculous healing abilities. Few believed his word so she was taken to the town square where she was put to the test. A man took a wolf pup and broke its back so badly that it would live the rest of its life paralyzed - if it survived, that is. Lola healed the pup and it began to walk about freely as if it were never injured. Interesting, isn't it?"

Miku couldn't believe what she was hearing. Lola's first public heal was similar to Miku's first ever heal; too strong a coincidence, in her mind.

"Lola soon began training and by the age of fourteen she had become a master healer," Dr. VY continued. "Folks would come from all around for her to heal their loved ones.

"You should know, Miku, that a White Flower can only heal physical ailments, not illnesses; but Lola was different. Nobody knows how she did it, but she was able to cure even the most horrid of illnesses. When asked how she did it, she refused to give a straight answer and had said 'To save a life, I have to grieve death.' To this day nobody has solved the riddle, and it seems nobody ever will.

"Her life was a wonderful one; she was well-known and loved by all. But - alas! - her life was also short. She had two men who loved her, Leon and Hiyama. Hiyama was a friend of the family and Leon, whom Lola loved in return, was her first cousin."

"Wait!" Miku stopped her. "Lola loved her cousin?"

"Back then it wasn't rare for cousins to marry," Dr. VY said. "The practice was actually perferred and had continued on for many years. What was accepted in earlier times is just unacceptable today. Do you know Abraham from the Bible?"

Miku nodded. "Wasn't his wife, Sarah, also his sister?"

"Half-sister, to be correct," Dr. YV said. "In his days a man could marry any woman of his choosing, as long as they didn't have the same mother. He and Sarah shared the same father but not the same mother, so their marriage was acceptable.

"But that's beside the point. Hiyama and Leon both loved Lola and broke out into argument over her. Based on reports and inspections of Lola's body, both men had turned into wolves and jumped at each other. Before they could harm the other, however, Lola jumped between them and received the wounds. She bleed out before she could be brought to a healer and died shortly before her twenty-first birthday.

"Leon committed suicide shortly after Lola's funeral, and Hiyama was shunned by everybody except Lily, Lola's younger sister. After grieving Lola's death together for years, Lily and Hiyama married each other."

"How . . . sad," Miku said quietly as she carefully flipped through the worn book. The young woman was, based on all the illustrations, very beautiful and kind looking.

"A tragedy like Romeo and Juliet," Dr. VY said. "She may have loved Leon, but she still cared for Hiyama. She died protecting them from each other, and she probably was thinking her life wasn't worth their friendship. After her death the two did reconcile, but Leon was too grief stricken to live on without his beloved. At least Hiyama had continued to live until he died of natural causes or else Lola's sacrifice would've been in vain."

"But he must of spent the rest of his life in guilt," Miku said. "He must have felt responsible for her death."

"It is said he openly admitted to being the cause of her death," Dr. VY said, "but he had chosen to live. He and Lily named their first born daughter after Lola, or so it is said. They had five children, three girls and two boys, so I don't doubt that at least one held the name of the woman beloved by all."

Miku slowly flipped through more pages. "Is this Leon?" she asked when she saw a picture of a young man with dirty blond hair and emerald eyes.

"Yes, it is," Dr. VY said. She then closed the book and carefully put it back on the shelf. "You have rare talent similar to Lola's, Miku. Now the question is: what are you going to do with it?" Miku stood uneasily as she tried to find an answer. "Don't worry about it now," Dr. VY smiled, "you're still young and have a whole life ahead of you."

"Th-thank you, Dr. VY," Miku said. "I have learned much today."

Dr. VY laughed. "No need to be formal! If you want to talk informal, then go ahead. I really don't mind."

"Oh, thanks then," Miku said sheepishly. Ann had taught Miku to speak formally towards adults, and it was a habit that never left Miku.

"Now let's go rejoin the others," Dr. VY smiled.

* * *

Author's Note: I hope this little "history lesson" wasn't too awkward. I really don't know where I got the idea to write this, but this chapter most certainly won't count as filler. I promise it won't.

-Ray


	16. Chapter 16

The first sight to greet Miku when she came down the stairs was the last thing Miku had needed to see. Tears were streaming down Luka's face as she hung up her cell phone. Miku instantly knew that Luka had just heard the news. "Miku," she said quietly, "how is it you are here?"

"What are you talking about, Luka?" Haku quietly asked.

Miku took a deep breath. "I need to learn how to heal, that is the obvious answer. I couldn't let what I saw stop me from learning how to potentially save a life."

"Aren't you upset?" Luka asked.

"Yes," Miku answered, "but I can't let that stop me. I'm so sorry, Luka."

"Don't be," Luka whispered, "it's not your fault."

"I'm confused," Dr. VY said. "What's going on?"

Luka took a deep breath. "There was a murder, here in the neighborhood. It was . . . Gumi."

Haku gasped as Dr. VY said, "No!"

Luka nodded. "She was killed by a vampire last night, at the park only a couple miles from here."

"Poor Gumi," Dr. VY shakingky said. "She was such a good student, and so young too!"

Miku noticed how Luka hadn't mentioned that Miku found the body, but before she said anything Luka said, "Len Kagamine found her this morning. Mr. Kagamine is looking into the murder."

"Oh, how unfortunate," Dr. VY sighed.

"I'm afraid I have to leave early," Luka said. "Mother's wishes."

"Yes, Luka, I understand," was Dr. VY's response.

"Miku," Luka turned her attention towards the girl, "you are being asked for too."

"Y-yes," Miku said.

"We can," Dr. VY sighed, "continue class another day."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Why did you say Len found the body?" Miku whispered to Luka as they were walking out the door. "Do you know I -"

"Yes," Luka answered, "but I didn't want to make you look bad. To see a dead body and still show up to class seems suspicious. I know you're innocent, but I don't want you to risk anything."

"But the vampires are after me," Miku said as they went outside. "Aren't I partially responsible?"

"No," Luka said, "only the murderer is to blame, not you." That was the end of that conversation for Rin, Meiko, and Kaito walked up to the girls.

"What's going on?" Kaito asked.

"We're wanted at the crime scene," Luka said. "We need to get there fast."

"On it boss," Meiko said as she phased. Kaito also did the same but Luka climbed on Meiko.

"Meet us there!" Luka ordered.

"Okay," Rin said but her voice was lost with Meiko and Kaito's quick and loud pawsteps. "Let's go, Miku," Rin said as she also phased.

Miku climbed on, tightened her grip on Rin, and held on as Rin followed as close as she could behind the others. This was different from the time Miku rode on Len. That time was for fun during a happy day; now was to quickly arrive at the crime scene of a tragic one. It was only a week ago Miku discovered this world, she had realized. Wouldn't it have been better if she hadn't known? Maybe so, maybe not; but what's now is now and Miku had to deal with it.

They had arrived at the park in only ten minutes compared to the thirty it took to get to Dr. VY's house. Len greeted the five of them when they had arrived. Luka got off of Meiko and said as she passed Len, "If anybody asks, you found the body, not Miku. Don't ask questions, just do as I say." Len didn't get the chance to say anything for Luka was already past him and heading towards her mother.

"So, what's up?" Miku asked as she and Rin approached Len.

Len sighed. "The police want to question you. Since you don't seem as upset as you were they think now you can answer."

"I think I can," Miku said quietly.

So the rest of the day was spent with countless police officers asking Miku to repeat her story and then questioning her for further details. As time went on Miku grew tired of having to repeat everything but did her best to cooperate.

"Need a break?" Rin asked when she had finally managed to pull Miku away from the crowd.

"That and some water," Miku said. All of that talking had left her throat incredibly dry so she was barely able to answer Rin.

Rin took Miku to the bench Len, Meiko, and Kaito were sitting on. Rin then dug in the bag Len handed her and tossed Miku a water bottle. "Drink up," Rin said but Miku had already dried the bottle before those words left Rin's mouth. Rin then dug out a peanut butter sandwich and handed it to Miku. "While you were being questioned, Len ran back to the house to make lunch for us," Rin explained.

"Thank you," Miku said as she bit into the soft bread.

"You okay, kid?" Meiko asked. For a strong and scary looking woman, Miku thought, Meiko was almost as nice as Luka.

Miku nodded as she swallowed another bite. When her mouth was empty she said, "A little shaky, but better than I was."

Miku stayed with the four until she was sure she could continue her questioning. Rin and Len were also questioned, but being Mr. Kagamine's children they didn't have to tell their story as much. They continued on until the sun began to set. "We may continue discussing this at my house," Mr. Kagamine said to Lady Megurine. To Miku he said, "You should head home now. Where do your parents think you are?"

"They know I'm spending the night at your house," Miku said, earning a questioning look from Mr. Kagamine.

"I gave Rin permission to have Miku spend the night while we were away," Mrs. Kagamine, who showed up only a few hours ago, said.

"Why did you do that?" Mr. Kagamine said to his wife.

Miku then ignored the conversation between the two as she felt it wasn't her business. She walked towards the twins who were waiting impatiently to leave. "I'm guessing your mom didn't tell your dad about my sleeping over."

"Nope," Rin said, "he never would have allowed it."

Miku noticed that Len didn't have his hair tied up. "Looking to tick him off even more?" she silently laughed.

Len smiled. "Somebody's gotta do it." When comparing the two, Rin and Len's hair was the same length; the only difference was Rin kept her hair clipped out of her face while Len let his fringe shape his. Miku absentmindedly shook her head. If Rin dressed like a boy then telling apart the twins would not be easy; for fraternal twins they looked identical. The only big difference in their appearances was that Len was a whole head taller than Rin. Growing up, Miku, Rin, and Len were always the same height, but one summer Len just shot right up. Miku and Rin stayed the same in height, but both felt incredibly short when compared to Len.

"Ready to go?" Mrs. Kagamine asked.

"Is Miku coming too?" Rin asked.

"Yes," was Mrs. Kagamine's answer. It was obvious that she won the argument with her husband.

So they all rode back to the house with Lady Megurine following behind them. Miku, Rin, Len, Luka, Meiko, and Kaito sat in the back yard while the adults discussed what actions should be made.

"Luka," Len said, "do you have any idea why Gumi's protector wasn't around?"

Luka's expression turned sad when she answered. "They had broken the law, so she had no protector."

"What law?" Miku asked.

"Have you ever heard of Lola?" Kaito asked Miku, confusing her a little bit.

"I have," Miku said. "She was a talented healer but when she was twenty she was killed by Hiyama and Leon - both men who had loved her."

"Do you know who they were to her?" Meiko asked.

"Hiyama was a family friend and Leon was her cousin," Miku answered.

"They were also her protectors," Len said.

"Wait, what?" Miku said with disbelief.

"After her death," Luka said, "Queen Mira Hatsune, possibly an ancestor of yours, made the law to prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again."

"And the law is . . . ?" Miku asked.

"That a White Flower can never be in love with her protector, and vice-versa," Len answered. Before Miku could process this, Len gotten up and began walking away.

When Miku realized he was leaving, she got up and tried to follow Len. "Miku, get back here!" Rin called after Miku but was ignored. Miku kept a small distance behind Len as she followed him through the woods. She wondered if he was aware of her presence because he didn't acknowledge it. Soon he stopped at a clearing and made no other movement. Miku had silently watched for a minute before she decided to approach him.

"L-Len?" Miku croaked quietly but didn't receive an answer. It was then Miku remembered the law and had realized what it meant. Tears slid silently across her face as she called to him again. "Len?"

Len jumped as he turned around and saw her. His cheeks were stained with tears as they continued to fall from his eyes. "I-idiot!" he said. "Don't cry."

"Stupid, you're the one crying!" Miku said as she walked in front of him. She began to wipe away his tears. "You're such a crybaby!" she laughed between her sobs.

"Shut up," Len said as he too began to wipe away her tears.

"Make me," was Miku's come back. Miku cupped his cheeks with both of her hands and tried to rest her forehead against his, which wasn't easy because he stood above her. Len leaned down, allowing their foreheads to meet, and let Miku rest her forehead against his. They sank to their knees together and sat like that as the time passed.

"M-Miku?" Len shakingly said. Miku lifted her face so that they were making eye contact while still touching foreheads. "I love you," he whispered.

It was all Miku ever wanted to hear, but now it was such a bittersweet thing. "I love you too," she quietly said.

"No," Len said, "I love as more than just as a friend."

"I do too, Len," Miku hugged him, "I do too."

She cried into the crook of his neck as he hugged her back. She wanted nothing more than to know how Len had felt about her, but know she knew that these feelings will bring trouble. It was, after all, against the law for a White Flower to be in love with her protector.

* * *

Author's Note: Sorry for not updating this in a while! My mom signed me up for summer classes so my summer wasn't as free as I thought that it would be. I'll try to update often like I was, but my free time is now limited again.

I must have written the confession scene five times, but I still couldn't get it right! In my head it was very emotional and dramatic, but writing it just makes it so awkward and terrible. T-T I'll be in my dark corner if anyone needs me. *sits in corner*

Rin: Of all the people in the world we get stuck with this drama queen!

Len: Well she tries.

Rin: *nods in agreement*

-Ray


	17. Chapter 17

Rin leaned against the tree as she heard Miku and Len make their confessions. Why hadn't she seen it before? Perhaps she was too blind to see how much Miku and Len liked each other. Too bad their love is forbidden.

Rin began to slowly walk back to the house as let the news sink in. She shouldn't have followed Miku, Rin realized. If anybody found out about them then Len and Miku would be separated. Why must fate be so cruel? Len was Rin's twin and Miku was her best friend in the whole world, and they were in love with each other. Rin smiled, she had never felt like a third wheel so maybe she should be surprised that she didn't know how they felt for each other. They had always seemed as nothing more than good friends who grew up together. Nobody, Rin decided, should ever find out how the two really feel for each other; she would not allow Len and herself be taken away from Miku because of one stupid law. Rin would let them be together no matter what. Even if it killed her.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"We should head back," Miku weakly said.

Len tightened his grip on her. "I never wanted you to find out, not like this."

"It's okay," Miku said as she let go of Len.

"No," he said, "it's not okay. I love you, Miku. I love you a lot, and we can't be together."

Miku stood on her feet and helped Len up. "I'm upset too, but there's nothing we can do about it." She smiled weakly. "All we can do now is just be the friends we've always been."

Len nodded. He and Miku walked hand in hand as they made their way back to the house. "Nobody can know about this," he said.

"What-" Miku asked, "what will happen if anybody found out?"

"Rin and I won't be your protectors any more," Len said as he tightened his grip on Miku's hand.

"But a White Flower can't be in love with her protector," Miku said. "If you and Rin weren't my protectors any more then what?"

Len sighed. "We would be separated; even if Rin and I were no longer your protectors it would still be illegal. Miku, if Dad or Lady Megurine ever find out then we will never see each other again."

Miku stopped in her tracks. Len noticed that she had stopped so he stood in front of her. "No," she whispered, "that can't happen."

"Miku . . ."

"That can't happen!" she said louder. "You and Rin are both my best friends! There is no way I'm losing the either of you!"

Len let go of her hand. "Then you and I should keep our distances." With that he began to walk away. It hurt them both, but it was for the best.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next morning wasn't any easier, but it was more bearable. Miku had woken up to see blue eyes staring into her's. Letting out a scream, Miku backed up and fell off the bed.

"What Miku," Rin teased, "don't you like me anymore?"

"You cling too much in your sleep," Miku said as she rubbed her butt.

"Well excuse me for being a cuddler," Rin stuck her tongue out.

"Why do I even bother?" Miku rolled her eyes. Rin always slept close to Miku whenever they shared a bed, yet Miku could never get used to seeing Rin so close to her in the morning. Standing up, Miku walked over to her suitcase and began rummaging through it to find a pair of clothes. Miku saw a T-shirt on Rin's bed post and decided to take that too.

"What are you doing?" Rin asked.

"Getting a shower," Miku answered. She held up the shirt and asked, "Do you mind if I wear this?"

Rin saw that Miku was holding up her Lion King graphic tee. "I don't mind, I still have some of your clothes." Rin grinned. "Even the one with the leapords!"

"I was wondering where that went," Miku mumbled under her breath as she left the room. She did NOT recall the blond asking to borrow it. She was turning a sharp corner when she ran into Len. "Sorry!" Miku spat out.

"No, it's my fault," Len said as he dusted his shirt, "I wasn't paying attention."

"Neither was I, so it both our faults," Miku said as she walked past him. Miku and Len had both decided that keeping their distance was the best step for now, but why did she think it only made things worse?

Sighing, Miku walked into the bathroom and locked the door behind her. She turned on the shower and undressed as the water warmed up. As she did this, Miku began wish that she had never heard of the law; if she didn't know of it then she and Len wouldn't have confessed and neither of them would try to avoid the other. Slipping into the shower, Miku shook her head of the thoughts. The warms water on her skin made Miku moan in pleasure. She didn't know what it was, but something about showers made it easier for Miku to think deeply.

Miku was in love with Len, something she had known for years now; Len was in love with Miku, something he had revealed to her last night. They were in love, but their love was forbidden. Maybe, if it's possible, Miku and Len could push their feelings aside and just act like the best friends they had always been. They had done it when they had crushes on each other, why not now?

Miku sighed as she turned the water off. Things were going to be different now, but not in a good way. She slipped the clothes onto her clean body and began combing her long hair. "Why us?" Miku whispered. Her first love, and it was forbidden. Fate had a cruel sense of humor.

"Good morning, Miku," Mrs. Kagamine greeted when Miku walked into the kitchen. "Would you like some waffles?"

"Good morning and yes, please," Miku answered cheerfully. She sat in the chair across from Len and smiled at him. He smiled back but didn't say anything. Miku twirled her thumbs together uncomfortably, normally they would talk about anything but now it was only awkward silence.

"Rin's shirt?" he asked, obviously trying to avoid the silence.

"Yep," Miku answered.

"Is she awake?"

"She was, but if I know Rin then she had to have gone back to bed."

"Sounds like her."

"It is her," Miku said. She pursed her lips as she tried to find another topic. "Would you like to go to the theater today? With Rin! Of course."

Len shrugged. "What's playing?"

"That one movie. You know," Miku snapped her fingers, "it has that actor in it. Ugh!" Miku threw her head back.

"Want Rin to decide?" he said. He knew Miku tried, and failed, to just name a random movie but, being Miku, nothing came to mind when she needed it most.

"She wouldn't allow any other way," Miku laughed. Mrs. Kagamine placed waffles in front of the kids. "Thank you very much, Mrs. Kagamine."

"You're welcome," the woman returned as she went back into the kitchen.

While they were eating, Miku and Len started talking like they had always been able to. All awkwardness was gone until Mr. Kagamine came into the dining room. When the teenagers had noticed him they had snapped their mouths shut and kept from saying another word to the other. "Good morning, Mr. Kagamine," Miku said.

"Good morning," he said as he took his seat at the head of the table. He looked from Miku to Len, then from Len to Miku. After his observation he began reading the paper. Miku and Len proceeded to eat their breakfast in silence.

"Good morning!" Rin cheered as she entered the room. She had put on knee length shorts and blue shirt that really brought out her eyes. "Oh, waffles! Yummy!" She plopped next to Miku. "Gimme!" she said as she took Miku's half eaten waffles and began eating them herself.

"Hog!" Miku teased as Rin helped herself. "Well, I should gather my stuff; after the movies I'm going home."

"Movies?" Rin asked with her mouth full.

"Miku's idea," Len said.

"Who's pick?"

"Yours," Miku and Len said at the same time.

Rin smiled as she took another bite of waffles. "Let's see a sci-fi! Or maybe an action! Or better yet, both!"

"Rin!" Mrs. Kagamine snapped. "Those were Miku's waffles!"

"It's okay," Miku waved, "she can have them."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes ma'am," Miku said as she stood up. "I'll gather my things and maybe we can leave at, hmmm, let's say eleven."

"Sounds good to me," Len said as he also stood up. Rin didn't say anything because her mouth was full but she nodded her head as a signal for approval.

Miku ran back up the stairs to Rin's room so that she could grab her suitcase. All her clothes were there so Rin didn't take any, thank goodness. Miku decided to look under Rin's bed and found what she had been looking for. "Here's my Angry Birds T-shirt," Miku announced as she pulled it out. "Never letting Rin get this again."

"If you keep talking to yourself like that people are going to think you're crazy."

Miku jumped. "Len!" she gasped. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!"

"Well unless you want to be thrown into a psych ward, don't talk to yourself," Len said.

"They'll have to catch me first," Miku said as she folded the shirt. "What are you doing here?"

Len shrugged. "Seeing if you need help."

"Good," Miku's face brightened, "then carry my suitcase."

Len rolled his eyes but walked over to the suitcase to pick it up. "What's in here?!" he asked. "Bricks?!"

"I know you're kidding; you have amazing wolf strength."

"What?" Len smiled teasingly. "Do you find that attractive?"

"In your dreams," Miku snorted.

"Your rejection hurts so much," Len faked pain.

"Don't be a baby," Miku said.

"Of all the girls in the world I get stuck with you," Len smirked.

"And of all boys in the world I get stuck with a whiner," Miku shot back.

"Witch."

"Wimp."

"Fall into a hole."

"I hope you step on a Lego."

Len gasped. "You take that back!"

"Make me!" Miku stuck out her tongue.

In only a matter of minutes, the whole avoiding-each-other plan vanished and they went back to their usual attitudes. They kept teasing, playing, and competing like they had always done before last night. Maybe things wouldn't be so awkward after all.

* * *

Author's Note: Geez, the whole "avoiding each other" thing didn't even live through a whole chapter. I guess I just like writing them as best friends so much that writing them any other way just doesn't sit well for me.

On another note, I assume everyone knows the song Magnet. Well I was listening their cover and I started thinking, "The song's about forbidden love, yet I don't think there's anything forbidden about those two being together." Then it hit me, "Duh! A White Flower and her protector can't be together, so their love is forbidden after all!" To everyone who needed a reason for Miku and Len's relationship to be forbidden, you're welcome.

-Ray


	18. Chapter 18

"I'm not going in there!" Len stubbornly said.

"Why not, Len? Dad won't hurt you." After the movie the three of them had walked back to Miku's house and she had invited the twins in. Rin was all for it, but Len wouldn't take a step closer. "You're being a child," Miku stated.

"I'd rather charge an armed vampire than face your dad," Len said.

"Maybe we should leave him here," Rin suggested.

"Not a bad idea," Miku shrugged. So the girls went up to the door so Miku could use her house key to get in. "I'm home!" she announced after she had walked through the door. No answer. "I'm guessing nobody's home," Miku said.

"Len, you sissy!" Rin called. "Get your butt over here! It's just us!"

Len jogged to the two in order to confirm Rin's words. "So it is."

"You know we're never going to let you live this down, right?" Miku smiled.

"What about the time in seventh grade when you-" Len started.

"SHUT UP!" Miku yelled. "Okay, I get it. Please don't remind me."

Rin laughed at the memory. "Poor Miku."

Mikus face turned scarlet. "Let's just go in."

The three of them weren't even there five minutes when Rin's cell phone went off. "Meiko?"

"That's a good idea."

"You don't have to do that, it's our job."

"But what about Luka?"

"You sound unsure."

"I get your point, but if it helps we'll stay the night with her."

"Okay, I'll tell them."

Rin hung up her phone. Turning to Miku and Len she said, "Because of yesterday's . . . incident, it has been decided that Miku will be going under twenty-four hour protection."

"What?" Miku said the same time Len asked "So what are the details?"

"We're going to stay here until Meiko or Kaito sends either of us a text saying that they're here. They'll spend the night patrolling the area and keeping vampires from getting Miku."

"What about Luka?" Miku and Len asked at the same time.

"Len and I will stay the night at her house, but she'll probably want us gone by morning." Rin shrugged, "She won't be leaving the wolf community so she should be fine as long as she's not alone. Anyway, Len, we need to discuss a couple of things, but they can wait."

"For when you're not around me?" Miku asked, surprising herself with the bitter tone she had used.

"Don't get angry," Rin sighed, "Luka just wants to tell Len and me something before the two of us discuss it. That's all. We'll tell you all about it tomorrow."

"Okay," Miku said. "Sorry, I didn't mean to get angry. But with everything that's going on I find that my trust is wavering."

"You know we would never do anything to hurt you," Len said.

"I know," Miku sighed again. "This just is all happening so fast. I guess my getting use to the whole wolf-and-flower-thing-overnight wasn't enough. With all the danger around me and everyone else I just . . . I don't know."

"But you're not alone," Rin smiled. "You have Luka, Meiko, and Kaito on your side, and you'll always have us. Sooner or later this whole mess will be cleaned up and it will seem as nothing more than a bad dream."

"Are you sure about that?" Miku weakly asked. "Because I don't think I'll ever get that vision out of my head." The look of horror on that dead White Flower, Gumi, flashed through Miku's mind. How could she ever forget that?

"We won't let that happen to you," Len said. "They'll have to kill us first."

"And how does that help me?!" Miku said in horror. "I could never live with myself if either of you died all because of me."

They stood in silence, taking in what Miku had said. "What if the roles were reversed?" Rin suddenly asked, breaking the silence. "What if it was your sworn job to protect Len and me? Would you back down if we asked you to?"

"No," Miku shook her head, "never." She hung her head. "Okay, I see your point. It's just. . ." she hesitated. "It's just that I don't want to lose either of you!" Miku began to cry, tears spilling from her eyes.

"Miku," Rin said as she hugged the weeping girl. "We're tougher than that, you know? You know neither of us will be going down that easily. Actually, you should being feeling sorry for our victims; we would be so merciless that their last thought would be regretting trying to even so much as hurt you."

Miku couldn't help but laugh at Rin's confidence. It was going to kill Rin one day, Miku was sure. "Promise you won't ever die on me?"

"Only if you stay safe," Rin smiled.

"Len?" Miku looked at the boy.

"I'll always be for there for you," was his reply "for as long as you need me."

"And neither of you will go back on your word?"

"Never!" both twins had said.

"Good because, Len," Miku looked out the window, "Dad's home and I need you here because I'm not facing his interrogation alone."

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"I'm never going there again," Len said as he and Rin walked to Luka's house. Lady Megurine wouldn't be there since there was a meeting going on about what actions to take concerning the vampire attack.

"Why?" Rin asked. "Big Al is a nice man; he's a better dad to Miku then our dad is to us."

"Well he likes you so of course you would say that," Len said. "In case you haven't noticed, he doesn't like me very much."

"I think he's just at that point where he hates every boy his daughter knows," Rin said. "I think deep down he knows that you and Miku really like each other."

Len stopped in his tracks. "Rin, what did you just say?"

"Oh crud," Rin whispered. Maybe that wasn't a good thing to say. "Please don't be mad! I'm sorry!"

"Mad at what?" Len questioned as he raised an eyebrow.

"Well," Rin played with her fingers, "I sorta, kinda followed Miku when she went after you and I heard you two confess to each other. I'm so sorry!"

"What do you think about it?"

"What?!" Rin gasped. She thought Len would be angry, but he surprised her by calmly asking a question.

"What do you think about Miku and I . . . well, you know," Len repeated.

Rin hung her head but smiled. "I knew you had a crush on her when we were little. Remember I used to tease you about it? I didn't think you still liked her though, I thought you may have outgrown it. As for Miku, I think I knew that she liked you for a long time, but I was just too stupid to see it. I feel bad for the both of you, since the law prevents such a relationship, but other than that I'm happy for the both of you and will protect that secret the best I can." Rin looked up. "I don't want to be separated from Miku either, but I don't want either of you to feel as if you can't love each other."

"So you're cool with it?" Len asked. He wasn't expecting Rin to be so accepting.

Rin snorted. "If it weren't for the law, I would have set you two up a long time ago!"

"Thanks Rin," Len said, "you're a great sister."

"Don't mention it," Rin smiled.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Hi Rin. Hi Len," Luka greeted.

"Hi Luka," the twins returned.

Without giving them a chance to settle, Luka said, "Did Miku tell you about the vampires being after her."

Len shook his head while Rin answered, "She didn't say anything specific, but she told me that you said that the vampires are specifically after her."

"That's true," Luka said. "I hope she doesn't get mad at me for telling you all this, since I left the choice up to her, but pressing matters won't allow you to be ignorant; but the war that killed most of the Hatsunes was planned."

"What?!" both twins said at the same time.

"It's true," Luka crossed her arms. "Somebody hired the vampires to kill all the Hatsunes, with the war being the way to do it."

"That's horrible!" Rin cried. "Who would do such a thing?!"

"I don't know," Luka whispered, "whoever did it did a good job covering their tracks."

"A real mystery indeed," Rin said.

"Is this what you wanted to discuss with us?" Len asked.

"Yes and no," Luka answered. "There is something I need help with and the reason I'm asking you is because I know Meiko and Kaito will both refuse out of fear of being found out and punished."

"And that is. . . ?" Rin asked.

Luka took a deep breath. "You know that there's a library here that holds a great deal of our history, right?"

"You mean the Lady's study?" Len asked. "The library that is actually in your house?"

"Doesn't sound like you need our help," Rin snorted.

"It's nothing too rash," Luka said, "but the door is under lock and key and I have no idea where Mother hid said key."

"So you want us to help you find it?" Len concluded.

"And, if you wouldn't mind, help me search through the books." Before more could be said, Luka's cell phone went off.

"Hello?"

"Yeah, I'm safe. The twins are here."

"There's no sign of vampires?"

"Well that's good."

"You have Kaito."

"Come on, you know I don't believe that."

Luka laughed. "Maybe you can give him a midnight kiss."

Meiko began yelling so loud that Luka pulled away her phone and the twins could hear Meiko's angry voice.

"WE WERE NINE! STOP BRINGING THAT UP! I SWEAR, LUKA, I-"

Luka hung up.

"Midnight kiss?" Rin laughed.

"When they were nine, someone, I can't remember who, dared Meiko and Kaito to kiss," Luka said. "They both found it very gross. Meiko might say she doesn't like Kaito in any sort of way, but I know deep down she really cares for him. As for Kaito, he teases to show his affection, and Meiko is the center of his teasing. I don't know, but I think they would make a very good couple."

Rin and Len smiled at the thought. It was okay for two protectors to love each other, even if they both protected the same White Flower. Their parents were a good example; Mr. and Mrs. Kagamine grew up as Lady Megurine's protectors and they fell in love and got married, and to this day they still protect the Lady.

"Now," Luka placed her hands on her hips, "are you going to help me or not?"

"Sure," Rin answered. "But shouldn't we get something covered first?"

"Like what?" Len asked.

"Us," Rin said. "With Miku going under twenty-four hour protection we need to discuss who'll get the day shift and who'll get the night shift."

"Well Miku's dad doesn't like me," Len reminded her, "so I think it's better you have the day shift since Big Al won't care if Miku spends all day with just you." Rin nodded in agreement.

"Issues with her dad?" Luka asked.

"He doesn't like me much," Len said. "Now let's hurry up to find that key."

So the three of them began searching the house for any sign of a key. The search went all the way to Lady Megurine's bedroom. Luka searched through the shoeboxes under the bed, Len looked over the book shelf, and Rin . . .

"Whoa, Luka," Rin said with surprise, "I didn't know your mom wore thongs." With that Rin held up a black thong. "I didn't think she was the kind of woman."

Len looked away as he facepalmed himself while Luka ran up to Rin and snatched the underwear out of her hands. "What are you doing?" Luka snarled. "We're supposed to be finding a key, not digging through my mother's underwear!"

"I was looking for the key," Rin defended as she pushed more of the underwear aside.

"Why would the key be in there?!" Luka almost barked.

"Well if I want to hide something from everyone," Rin explained, "I hide it with my boy shorts. Just because I'm not a panties girl doesn't mean it's still wrong to go through a girl's underpants."

"And you think my mother would hide something valuable and important in there?"

Rin's face curled into a smile. "Yep! I just found the key!"

* * *

Author's Note: I'm pretty pleased with this chapter; I got a lot covered and Luka's role is starting to get like I want it to be.

Yep, that's basically all I have to say. Except yesterday I slammed my knee on my doorframe and it really hurt.

-Ray


	19. Chapter 19

Not only were Luka and Len surprised that Rin found a key, but it turned out to be THE key. Once Luka had opened the door to the library, she and the twins looked through the books on the shelf.

The library was not a very big, it was about the size of a small hotel room. Rows of books covered the walls, and a small wooden desk covered with papers sat right on the middle of the floor. There was a single rug in the room, dark green and brown in color, that had a pattern that Luka found both unique and unusual.

"There must be centuries worth of writing in here!" Len exclaimed.

"Do I have to read?" Rin asked with a complaining tone.

"We need to go through everything that has to do with the war," Luka said, "and since I don't think that's too many books then this shouldn't take long."

It turned out that at least a couple dozen books had to do with the war, much to Rin's disappointment. After two hours of searching Luka began to get frustrated with the results. "It all says the same thing!" she said as she slammed another book shut. "It seems that not a single author knew that the war was a cover up to kill the Hatsunes."

"Then how did your mom know?" Len asked. "Unless she's been keeping contact with the vampires then there should be no way of her knowing."

The realization hit Luka. "You may be right, Len." To Rin she said, "What do you think, Rin?" Silence. "Rin?"

Len saw his sister, using a book as a pillow, huddled on the floor and breathing soundly. "She's asleep," he said.

"Oh well," Luka sighed. "She's going to be spending all day tomorrow protecting Miku so we should just let her get her rest."

Len nodded in agreement. Len then noticed a pink sheet of paper, with quick and messy handwriting, on the desk. "Luka," he called, "look at this."

Luka took the paper from him. "'Meet me at the Cherry Grill Bar this Saturday at seven. Come alone.' I wonder what this is about."

"Does your mom have a suitor?" Len chuckled.

"I don't know," Luka said. "After Father died she became a real settled woman, or so your mother says. But what I do know is that I have to be there."

"Are you crazy?" Len asked. "The bar is two towns away, so how are you going to get there and back unnoticed?"

Luka shrugged. "I'll think of something. Maybe I can plan a so called 'girls day' with Meiko so it won't seem unusual when I'm not in town. I'll have to get Meiko to agree first, of course, but I think I can manage something."

"You couldn't even get her and Kaito to agree helping you get in here," Len reminded, "so how are you going to do that with Meiko?"

"Maybe I'll just trick her," Luka said, "Meiko wouldn't expect it so I might as well try."

"Just don't get into trouble," Len warned.

"Thanks, Len," Luka said as she began putting some books away, "you're a good friend."

Len smiled at her comment. He helped Luka put up all the books but one caught his attention. "Hey Luka," he called, "you might want to see this."

"What is it?" Luka asked as she approache him.

Len pulled out a thick, brown book with a slightly worn cover. "There's no title," he noticed, "but I have a feeling that this is something you might want to read."

Luka carefully took the book from the boy, opened it, and read the first page. "It's an account on how the Hatsune tribe and Megurine tribe began."

"Really?" Len said with amazement. "I thought the origin of White Flower tribes was similar to the start of surnames, just happened with no background."

"The Hatsunes were royal," Luka reminded him, "so their start had to of been important enough to document."

"Then how come not everyone knows about it?" Len asked. "And why would the Megurine name be included?"

Luka closed the book and wiped some dust of the cover. "I don't know how to answer either of your questions. I always heard that the Megurine tribe was voted to take the place of the Hatsunes, but do we maybe have some importance of our own?"

Len shrugged. "Maybe the answers are in the book."

"Maybe," Luka whispered. Luka straightened herself, "We should get out of her. The sooner we leave this room the better."

Len nodded his head and went to wake up his twin. "Rin?" he shook her. "Wake up."

"Uh?" Rin slowly opened her eyes. "Did you find out who hired the vampires?" she yawned.

"No," Len answered, "but we found something just as interesting."

"Oh," Rin said before closing her eyes. She was too tired to care about what Len and Luka had found out.

"We need to leave," Len shook her again.

"Okay, I'm up," Rin said before getting up and walking out of the room like a zombie.

"Leave her be," Luka said, "she will probably pass out on the sofa."

Len shrugged before noticing the book Rin used as a pillow. "This book is dedicated entirely to the war," Len noticed.

"Leave it," Luka said, "like the rest of these books, it's no use to me."

Len put the book on the desk and left the room with Luka. After Luka shut the door behind her and locked it, the library was as if nobody had entered it that night.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"No, it's okay, Meiko. Go home and get some sleep; I'll be fine."

"I'm sure I'm sure," Luka said into her cell, "I'm just going to be staying home anyway so there's nothing to worry about. So get some sleep and we'll talk later. Bye."

Rin had left fifteen minutes ago to go to Miku's house, and Len was still asleep in the guest bedroom in Luka's home. "I'll just let him sleep," Luka thought. She and Len had stayed up until three that night looking through the library, and even though Luka hadn't sleep much either, she knew that Len needed his rest for his first attempt at the night shift. Luka picked up the book she had taken from the library, opened it at a random page, and began to read it's contents.

In the fifth year of his reign, King Tonio took the White Flower Prima to be his wife. Their firstborn was a girl whom they named Hatsune; three years later they had another girl whom they had named Megurine.

Luka's eyes widened at that sentence. Hatsune and Megurine? Was this how the tribes started? Did each tribe take the names of these women and make them their family names? Luka continued to read on.

Both had grown to be beautiful women; kind and caring to all who had crossed their path. When it came time to choose an heir, King Tonio named the oldest, Hatsune, to be next in line for the throne. After her father's death and her ascension to the throne, Hatsune named her beloved sister, Megurine, the highest position in the kingdom, below only the queen herself.

Luka stopped reading so that she could absorb what she had just read. Luka was always lead to believed that the Megurines weren't important people; that they were the same as farmers and peasants. To read that they were in the royal court was the last thing Luka had expected!

"But why would Mother tell me we weren't from a royal tribe? And that we were the same as farmers?" Luka thought. She went into this looking for an answer to the Hatsunes destruction, but came out with questions on her own heritage.

"Luka?"

"Len," Luka said, "what are you doing up?"

"Thirsty," Len said as he reached into the fridge and pulled out a jug of milk. "Did you find anything interesting?"

"I did," Lula mumbled. "Look," she said as she pointed to the first paragraph.

After Len had read it he said, "So does that mean that your family was also royalty, and not peasants?"

"It appears so," Luka said. "I just don't understand why we all grew up not knowing the truth."

Len looked at the paragraph again. "If the Hatsune and Megurine tribes originated from a pair of sisters, doesn't that mean that you and Miku are, in a way, distant cousins?"

"I didn't think of that," Luka said when she realized that Len was right. "But if the Megurines were also royalty, why did we survive the war?"

"Perhaps because the order was to kill the Hatsunes," Len said as he sipped from his glass.

"You're right," Luka said. "But why was my true family history treated like a secret? I believe that I of all people had ought to know this."

"Does your mom know it?" Len asked. "Because it seems that the book you have is the only document of your family's origin, and I don't think I have ever seen your mom read."

"I am certain she has read all the books in the library at least once," Luka said. "I went into this trying to solve a mystery but came out with another one."

"Do you think that all of this is related?" Len asked.

"Maybe it is, maybe be it isn't," Luka answered with a shrug. "What I do know is that I'm in for lot."

"No you're not," Len snorted. "WE are in a lot. All of us aren't going to leave you on your own, Luka, so instead of saying 'I,' try saying 'we.'"

Luka smiled. "Miku is lucky to have such a great protector. You never leave anyone to fend for themselves, not a lot of people do that."

"I just don't think anybody needs to be left out," Len said, "and I know everyone else is going to agree. Whatever you get into, we are all in with you."

"You shouldn't stick your nose where it doesn't belong."

"We're friends," Len said, "anything that concerns you concerns us as well."

Luka shook her head. "What exactly are we getting ourselves into?"

* * *

Author's Note: Yep, Miku-Sama and Luka-San are distant cousins. :P Actually, I read that according to research people with blue eyes all have a common ancestor, meaning if you have blue eyes then everyone you met who also has blue eyes is, in a way, a relative of yours. Luka-San has blue eyes, and Miku-Sama has torquise (a shade of blue) eyes so I guess it works. Just one thing, I always give Miku-Sama and the twins the exact same eye color in my stories, and it's always a shade of blue! O-O That would be one awkward family reunion; especially since I absolutely adore MikuXLen.

-Ray


	20. Chapter 20

"Ready to go, Miku?!" Rin's excited voice rang from the other end.

"Ready?" Miku mumbled. "I'm not even out of bed." Miku looked at her clock and saw that it wasn't even six yet. "Can't you come back in three or four hours?" Miku yawned.

"How about you either let me in or I'll keep calling you every five minutes," Rin threatened.

"I'm on my way down," Miku said, knowing that Rin wasn't kidding. Miku saw herself in her mirror. Turquoise pajama pants, white tank top, and unbrushed hair - Miku sure was ready for company. Miku walked down the stairs and unlocked the front door. "Get your butt in here," she ordered. "I'm going back to bed; help yourself to the food but I don't want to be disturbed."

"Too bad," Rin snorted. "I'll give you an hour to get ready; we're going out of town today."

"Going out of town?" Miku asked. It was then that she noticed the silver Sadan parked in the front yard. "I'm going to die."

"I don't drive THAT badly," Rin said. "I though that we'd go to the city and have a little fun."

"But what about the vampires?" Miku yawned. She really need more hours of beauty sleep.

"Don't worry," Rin said, "by the time they notice that you're gone we'll already be at the city. By the time they get to the city, you'll already be safe at home. That's how Len thinks the Hatsunes survived as long as they did; they kept moving and didn't stay in a single place for too long."

"Speaking of Len," Miku finally realized, "where is he?"

"In order for the twenty-four hour protection to work," Rin explained, "we had to divide our time through shifts. I got the day shift and Len has the night, so you have me all day while you won't see much of Len."

"Oh," Miku said. "It's because Dad like you and despises Len, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Rin said, raising her voice near the end. "Now get dressed! We're leaving in an hour and I don't think you want to go looking like that."

Miku said nothing but left mumbling. She knew Rin was going to help herself to the food and watch television so she felt she didn't have to worry about the blond.

Miku ran up the stairs and into her room, and grabbed a pair of knee length white jeans and a soft pink shirt. Miku showered, combed her hair, and put on her clothes. She was yawning the whole way through because Rin had waken her too early. Miku ran downstairs for breakfast. "Would you like some waffles?" Miku asked as she popped two in the toaster.

"Yes please," Rin said as she flipped through the channels. "Why isn't there anything good on? I don't get how there are over hundreds of channels yet never anything to watch."

Miku rolled her eyes as she ignored Rin's rant. Miku took out two plates, butter, and syrup, and when the waffles popped up Miku put them on a plate, put two more waffles in the toaster, and said, "Rin, food's ready."

"Yay," Rin cheered, stopping in the middle of her rant to claim her food. "You know," Rin said as she buttered her waffle, "it takes a long time to get to town so you can just sleep in the car."

"Can't," Miku said. "With the way you drive I don't think I'll be calm enough to not scream 'Oh my gosh! I'm gonna die!' at the top of my lungs."

Rin rolled her eyes. "Then you drive."

"No way," Miku said, "every time I do you're ways telling me to speed up or 'turn here.'"

"You drive like a grandma," Rin said as she put a bite of waffle in her mouth.

"At least I won't get myself killed," Miku said right before her waffles popped up. "Moving on," she said as she began buttering her breakfast, "what are the plans for today?"

Rin smiled in a twisted way. "You'll soon find out."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"HOLY SHEET! HOLY SHEET! HOLY SHEET! I'M GONNA DIE!"

"Relax Miku," Rin said, "I haven't even started the car yet."

After breakfast, Miku brushed her teeth, put her hair up in a single ponytail, slipped on her white sneakers, and wrote a note for Ann telling her that Rin had come to pick Miku up and take her out of town. The town they lived in was so small that Miku and the twins had normally either walked or rode their bikes everywhere, making having a driver's license a pointless thing since there wasn't really anywhere to drive to. Miku was a safe driver, while Rin was another story.

"I'm just warming up for when you start driving," Miku said.

Rin shook her head. "Drama queen." Of course, after they had left town did Rin floor it.

"I DON'T WANNA DIE! SON OF A BISCUIT! I DON'T WANNA DIE! RIN, SLOW DOWN PLEASE!"

"Why?" Rin grinned. "There are no other vehicles on the road, so why do I need to slow down?"

"BECAUSE I WANNA LIVE!"

So the next hour was spent with Rin going twenty miles over the speed limit and Miku screaming bloody murder. The fact that Rin hadn't wrecked yet was a miracle in and of itself. When they had finally arrived and Rin had parked, Miku jumped out of the car and began hugging the floor.

"I'm alive. I'm alive. I'm alive," Miku said over and over as kept close to the ground.

"Get up, Miku," Rin ordered, "people are staring."

Miku slowly stood up and walked next to Rin. "So what are we here for?" Miku asked. Rin hung her head in shame. "What is it, Rin?"

Rin mumbled so quietly that Miku didn't hear her.

"What did you say?" Miku asked. Rin repeated herself louder this time, but Miku was cretain she didn't hear right. "Rin, speak clearly."

"I WANNA BUY A DRESS!" Rin yelled, attracting everyone's attention.

Miku stood in complete shock. Rin never wore dresses, not even to church! "Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?" Miku said, convinced that this wasn't the girl she had grown up with.

Rin crossed her arms. "There's a formal event in two weeks and I'm not allowed to go unless I wear a dress. I've never been invited to one before so I really want to attend."

"Aren't you aware that it might be incredibly boring?" Miku asked.

"Well you're invited and I know you would want to go so I just thought maybe I should be to at least one," Rin mumbled.

Miku's eyes lit up. "I've been invited?! Why am I now just hearing this?!"

"Because Luka told me about it before I left," Rin said. "This event is only held once a year, and ever since I was little I wanted to know what it's like to go."

"Don't you watch movies, Rin?" Miku asked. "This is nothing more than a social gathering, and since you have to behave then you are going to be bored out of your brains."

"Well I already accepted for the three of us so it's too late now," Rin said. "Now let's hurry before I change my mind."

Helping Rin shop for a dress was the hardest thing Miku had ever experienced. Everything was either too short, too revealing, or too girly. Rin had also stated that wearing dresses made her "feel naked," to which Miku suggested that Rin wear shorts underneath her dress. After hours of agonizing dress shopping, Rin finally settled on a blue sleeveless dress that went down to her knees. Miku, in a span of fifteen minutes, bought a dress with the top half resembling a white tank top and the black bottom flowing just above her knees.

"Dress shopping with you is worthy of it's own show," Miku had said when they had finally settled for lunch.

"Shut up," Rin responded. Changing the subject she said, "We still have the rest of today, is there anything else you want to do?"

Miku took a moment to think. "Perhaps a book store," she said. Seeing Rin's disgusted face, Miku asked, "Do you have something against books, Rin?"

"I have had enough of books to last a lifetime," Rin answered. She leaned forward to explain, "Luka had wanted us help her find out who was responsible for hiring the vampires, and to do so we sneaked into her mom's library to look through every book that had to do with the war. However, we had no luck."

Miku nodded her head, unsure of what to say. The mystery behind her tribe was an obvious concern to Luka, but why did the pinkette have such a huge interest in her?

"Where are those girls' protectors?" Rin wondered aloud.

"Huh?" Miku said, snapping out of her daze.

"Behind you," Rin pointed. "Those girls are White Flowers, yet I don't smell another wolf anywhere."

Miku looked behind her, seeing two girls sitting down and enjoying their lunch. One had light purple hair that she wore in two low tails, light purple eyes, and a soft laugh; her friend had blue eyes, hair so blond that it was almost white, and a beautiful smile. "Perhaps they're like how I was," Miku guessed, "not knowing that they are White Flowers."

"But why aren't there any wolves present?" Rin asked nobody in particular. "It doesn't make any sense."

Miku watched the two girls, eating and talking in such a carefree manner. They lacked protectors, but they seemed to be getting along fine. It made Miku wonder, did White Flowers really need protection? Perhaps so, since they would be helpless against vampires; but besides that, what other things could be so dangerous that a girl would need a wolf by her every hour of the day?

"You can go to the book store," Rin said, "but I'm waiting outside."

"Suit yourself," Miku said as she took a big bite of cheeseburger.

After lunch, Rin drove Miku to the book store, but, true to her words, stayed outside. Miku looked around, looking for something interesting. "I haven't read The Hobbit in forever," Miku thought, remembering the time she checked it out at the school library. Miku looked around aimlessly until she found herself in the werewolf section. "I didn't know there was a whole section dedicated to werewolves," Miku thought. She looked to her left, "Or vampires." Picking up a book, Miku opened it to a random page and saw a picture of a giant wolf. A shapeshifter.

"I see you're taking an interest in werewolves," a man with white hair said. He was dressed in black slacks and a silver vest with a white shirt underneath. He didn't look too much older than Miku, so she suspected that was at the most in his early twenties.

"There are a lot of books," Miku stated. "Are werewolves a popular thing here?"

"Them and vampires," the man smiled. "A lot of residents believe that there is a tribe of werewolves living not too far from here."

"Where would they get such a silly idea?" Miku snorted, acting as if she didn't know of the world of shapeshifters, vampires, or White Flowers. Her world.

"See that wolf?" the man asked, pointing at the picture on the book Miku was holding. "Have you ever seen a wolf so big?"

"Bigger," Miku thought. "I think it may be a buffalo wolf," she said aloud. "I know they are larger than any other wolf so it may be a possibility."

"Perhaps," the man smiled. Miku didn't know what it was, but something about this man left her feeling uneasy. She felt as if she should be anywhere but there, but at the same time she didn't feel threatened. "What do you think about vampires?"

"That I do not know," Miku answered honestly. "Are there any attacks that support that theory?"

"None that I have heard of," the man stated, "but just because nobody has seen a vampire doesn't mean that they don't exist."

"Piko!"

Miku looked towards the direction of the voice. She saw a woman with red-orange hair and matching eyes. The woman wore a knee length white skirt and a dark blue top. Miku though the woman looked very pretty, when you take away the angry expression.

"Miki," the man, obviously Piko, said, "why are you so angry? You're not jealous, are you?"

Miki, with her face as red as her hair, looked at Miku and then back at Piko. "Just help me with the boxes in the back. You know I can't handle it all by myself."

"Okay dear," Piko said in a teasing voice.

"Girlfriend?" Miku asked when Miki had retreated to the back.

"Fiancée," Piko corrected. "I love her, but she can have a really bad temper sometimes."

"Then you might not want to keep her waiting," Miku smiled.

"I don't," Piko sighed. "Have a nice day."

"You too, thanks," Miku said as he also went into the back. Miku placed the book back on the shelf and was about to leave when she saw the two girls from the restaurant.

"Hi! I'm Yukari!" the girl with the light purple sang as she leaned towards Miku. "This is my bestie, IA."

"You're going to have to forgive her," IA smiled, "Yukari is incredibly social."

"It okay," Miku said nicely. "I'm Miku, by the way."

"We saw you at the restaurant," Yukari said, surprising Miku. Leaning closer she said, "And we know that you're one of us."

* * *

Author's Note: Just thought that I would throw in some random characters. I was just randomly writing when Piko, Miki, Yukari, and IA suddenly got roles in my head. None of them play a major part, but I think adding them was a nice touch.

-Ray


	21. Chapter 21

"What?" Miku asked, confused. "One of you?"

"A White Flower," IA plainly said.

"How can you tell?" Miku whispered.

"It's a little too obvious," Yukari said. "And we know that your blond friend is a shapeshifter."

"Her actions scream shapeshifter," IA said before Miku could open her mouth to ask.

"Where are your protectors?" Miku asked.

Yukari laughed. "We have none."

"But what about-" Miku began but was cut off.

"We can take care of ourselves," IA crossed her arms. "Besides, neither of us were born in a wolf community, so it's only natural that we wouldn't have any."

"Aren't you," Miku asked slowly, "scared?"

"The risk is the same for us as it is for any human," Yukari said, surprising Miku with a tone as serious as IA's. "Fear can't rule our lives, however, but we are indeed careful."

"Why are you telling me this?" Miku asked.

Yukari giggled, bouncing back into her bubbly stature. "Because we know that you may be someone important. Don't ask how we know, for we don't know the answer to that ourselves."

These girls were giving Miku uneasy feelings; the way they talked about things gave Miku haunting images. IA stood stiff and firm, while Yukari loose and bubbly; IA's stature yelled serious, and Yukari bounced non-stop. These girls were different from any other White Flowers Miku had ever seen, she could feel the difference in the air. "Is there something you want from me?" Miku cautiously asked.

"We don't want to hurt you, if that's what you're asking," IA stated. "What we do want you to know, however, is that you shouldn't believe us White Flowers to be in need of protection the way the shapeshifters say."

Miku thought the statement over carefully. "What about White Flowers that vampires specifically want? Shouldn't she not be protected?"

"Shouldn't she not fight as well?" Yukari smiled. "Maybe instead of acting helpless, maybe White Flowers should learn to fight alongside their protectors."

"Regardless of the risks," IA said, "wouldn't you feel better knowing that you were helping your friend?" IA snorted her next sentence. "Assuming that you count your protector as a friend, that is."

"Rin is my best friend!" Miku said. "She may be my protector but she is also the dearest friend that I have!"

"And you're okay with her risking her life for you?" IA asked. Seeing Miku's expression change she said, "Seems not. Don't let tradition get in your way; fight if the need ever arises."

Before Miku could say anything else, Yukari hugged her and said, "It was a pleasure to meet you!" She let go and left so fast that Miku began to believe that their interaction was nothing more than an illusion.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Took you long enough," Rin complained when Miku left the book store. "And you didn't even buy a book!"

"No interesting books," Miku said flatly.

"What's up?" Rin asked, softening her face and voice; she could always tell when Miku felt down.

"The people here . . . are interesting," Miku said. "It seems that they are somewhat aware of our world."

"Maybe," Rin said. "Some humans believe in our excistence, but it's still considered a fairytail to believe in us."

The two girls continued to walk down the street, silent as they listened to the approaching thunder.

"We had best to leave," Miku said, looking up at the sky.

"Mmm-hmmm," Rin agreed. Both girls had gotten into the Sedan, with Miku at the wheel. "Sure you want to drive?" Rin said with an evil smile.

"If it rains then I don't want Speed Demon Rin at the wheel," Miku answered. "We can just go back to my house and watch a movie."

"Sounds good to me," Rin shrugged.

After ten minutes of driving, Miku gave a quick glance at Rin and said, "Why do White Flowers need protectors? Are vampire risks that bad?"

Rin didn't seem surprised by that question, but instead thought about it. "Maybe not all do, but those like Luka and yourself are important people and should at least have some form of protection. Not to mention that you're a specific target, so you shouldn't be a minute without a protector."

"What about others?" Miku asked. "Does every girl need a protector?"

"Maybe not," Rin said, "but the 'unimportant' White Flowers usually have relatives as protectors, so it's more like family watching out for family. Take Neru for example: She wasn't assigned to be Haku's protector, she choose to protect Haku. Another way to look at it is this: If my mom was a White Flower and not also a shapeshifter, then I would be a White Flower and Len the only shapeshifter. If that were the case, then Len would be my protector not because Dad assigned him to be, but because he wanted to be. He still tries to protect me, it's his brotherly instinct, but that's not his job. The person that he needs to protect is you and only you. True, we look out for each other and do what we can to prevent the other from being hurt, but that's because we love each other. Maybe not all White Flowers need protection, but that doesn't mean a shapeshifter is going to leave his family to fend for herself."

Miku took it all in. It really surprised Miku how deep a thinker Rin could be during long car rides in thunderstorm weather; maybe Miku should always do this whenever she had problems she wanted to discuss with Rin. Miku thought about what Rin said and believed that she had a point; if Miku had family that she could protect, then she would do everything in her power to protect them. "But shouldn't a White Flower help fight off a vampire?" Miku asked.

The question really surprised Rin. She sat in shock for a moment but answered anyway. "Why should she? It defeats the purpose of having protectors."

"I'm just curious," Miku said. Miku, having a new thought pop into her head, asked, "How does one kill a vampire?"

"Simple," Rin smiled. "They can be killed just as easily as any other being, so there are tons of ways. Gunshot wounds, blood lose, pierced internal organs - anything that can kill you can kill a vampire."

"So they aren't that super powerful?" Miku asked.

"No," Rin shook her head. "Immortal ones, however, are different. To kill an immortal vampire, you need to rip off his head and, to be safe, burn the body. Mortal vampires, besides the speed and strength, are similar to humans."

Miku nodded her head in understandment. As she thought of what Rin had said, she noticed. "You said a vampire can die of blood lose," Miku questioned, "how is that possible? I thought vampires didn't have blood so that's why they drink the blood of other creatures."

"They have blood," Rin said, "it's just that their blood lacks the ability to carry oxygen properly. To get the, let's say, 'nutrients,' a vampire needs blood from an outside source to help keep them going. It's like how an anemic needs iron, the vampire is the anemic and the blood of others is their iron. A half-vampire, however, doesn't need to feed since their half-human bodies can fully produce the blood they need."

"Will a White Flower's blood grant a half-vampire immorality?" Miku asked.

Rin took a moment to think about it. "I've never heard of such a thing, but I don't doubt it's possible. Half-vampires, being half human, are at least somewhat civilized; they aren't murderous freaks like full vampires."

"Are all vampires evil?" Miku asked, wondering if it was true for all of one kind to be so vile.

"Have you ever heard of a good vampire?" Rin countered.

Miku didn't answer but instead drove in silence. Miku didn't want to believe that all vampires were bad, but it wasn't an easy thing to do when they want specifically you dead. "You say that all vampires are murderers," Miku said slowly, "but they can't kill a human. It's impossible, Len said so himself. They obviously aren't that big of killers or else half-vampires wouldn't exist."

"They murder White Flowers," Rin said flatly. "Who cares about an innocent girl when her blood can give you immorality? Besides, what makes you think that the vampires loved the humans that they had children with? There are plenty of crimes that can result in such."

Miku gulped, not wanting to think of such things. Miku couldn't find it in herself to believe that all vampires were as evil as the shapeshifters believed they were. Miku knew there was only one way to convince them all that not all vampires were murderers: find a vampire that won't kill her. Miku shook her head at the thought. What was she thinking? ALL vampires will kill her if it means that they can live forever. She had to avoid all vampires at all cost. No exceptions.

* * *

Author's Note: I know, I know, this is a very short and not so great chapter. I thought that I would cover the girls thoughts about vampires, and I think I did an okay job. And yeah, the vampires in my universe are anemic. :P I don't know where I got that idea, to be honest.

-Ray


	22. Chapter 22

Miku lied down on her bed, exhausted from her day with Rin. It was different not having Len around, but she knew it was for the best. A White Flower can't be in love with her protector, but Miku was a White Flower, and she was in love with her protector. "Fate has a cruel sense of humor," Miku mentally sighed. Just then her phone buzzed with a new text message.

_Open your window._

Miku, not questioning Len, walked to the little square window and slid it open. She turned around to crawl into her bed but froze when she heard a thud on her floor. Turning around, Miku saw Len and realized that he must have climbed up the tree by Miku's window and had wanted her to open her window so that he could get in.

"Missed me?" he teased.

"You're shaking," Miku observed. "You must have been freaking out while sitting in the tree."

"I was almost sure I was going to have a heart attack," Len said as he placed a hand over his chest. The sight would have been humorous, if not for the fact that he was dead serious.

"So what are you doing here?" Miku asked as she plopped onto her bed.

"Can't I see my best friend?" Len asked. "Not seeing your beautiful face is torture."

"Kiss up!" Miku said. Her face turned pink when Len quickly came up to her and cupped her cheek.

"I'm serious," Len said, his breath tickling Miku's face and giving her goosebumps all over. "I love you, Miku. So much that not being around you is painful."

Miku leaned into his hand. "I don't like not seeing you either. I want us to always be together. I hate being separated from you."

"I do too," Len said as he slowly brought down his hand. "I guess you can say that we have a forbidden love."

"Well forbidden love isn't as romantic in real life as it is in novels," Miku pouted. "It majorly sucks."

"Agreed," Len smiled. "Well," he said as he stood up, "I guess I should go back to patrolling the area." With that he stood to leave, but found that he was being held back.

"Don't go just yet," Miku said, keeping a tight grip on his wrist. "Could you just . . . stay with me? Stay with me until I fall asleep? Please?"

Len brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her fingers. "Of course, my princess." Miku pouted that he called her a princess but didn't say anything about it.

Miku crawled under the covers and patted the side next to her. When Len gave her a confused look she said, "Sit next to me. Do you think that I want you to stand the whole time?"

"But Miku . . ." Len began but trailed off.

"Relax," Miku smiled. "I'm UNDER the covers; you're ON TOP. Nothing to worry about here."

Len shrugged before sitting next to Miku on her bed. She scooted close to him and rested her head on his shoulder. "You should lie down," he told her.

"But I want to be next to you," Miku whined childishly.

Len sighed in defeat as he set himself in a lying down position. Miku soon followed and cuddled next to him. It was when she buried her face into his shoulder that he noticed something was off about her. "What's wrong? Are you scared?"

"A little," Miku admitted. "I was wondering why we White Flowers need protection, but now that I'm back to the reality that is vampires wanting to kill me I can't help but shake when I'm alone."

"But you're not alone," Len said to comfort her.

"I know," Miku said, "but I can't help but feel alone in all this. First I learn that I'm a White Flower and my best friends are wolves, then I learn that a bunch of vampires want me dead, and now I learn that it's against the law to be in love with my protector." Miku snuggled closer to him. "I'm in love with you, Len, and loving you can get us separated."

"We won't be separated," Len said in an attempt to comfort her.

"Because we'll only act like the friends we've always been," Miku mumbled. "Right now, I just want you close to me. I want you to be here to assure me that everything is going to be okay."

Len placed a hand on her head. "It will be okay."

"I hope so," Miku whispered.

Len leaned over and kissed Miku on her head. "I love you," he said with his lips still near her hair.

"I love you too," she said into his shoulder. Miku then removed her face from his shoulder and positioned her head so that she could look at him. "I feel so immoral right now."

"This was your idea," Len reminded her.

Miku shrugged as she sat up. "I guess it's just a little awkward since we went from best friends to forbidden lovers all in one night."

Len laughed as he sat up and wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer to his chest. "You're still my best friend."

"And you're still mine," Miku said as she lied her head on his chest.

"Things aren't different, Miku," Len said, "it's just that since we know our true feeling for each other then of course it's going feel awkward. What if we have never confesed to each other, then what?"

Miku took a deep breath. "I still would have asked you to stay with me, and you still would have agreed. I think the only difference is that instead of talking about our forbidden love we would just be talking about fun, random things or just simply relaxing."

"See, nothing's changed," Len said as he rubbed her shoulder. "If maybe we stopped thinking about the law then maybe neither of us would feel so tense."

Miku thought about it then smiled. "You're right." She broke free from Len's grasp and lied back down. Len soon rejoined her, and she snuggled back close to him. Miku rested her head against his shoulder and he put an arm around her. They had stayed like this for so long that when Len looked over he was surprised to see Miku soundly asleep. She had seemed really tired, so maybe he should have been more surprised in that fact that she had stayed up to talk to him as long as she had and not that she was now asleep.

Moving slowly so that he wouldn't wake her, Len got off of her her bed and made his way towards her window. Before he crawled out to patrol the area, he took one last look at the sleeping Miku.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_I'll be there two hours after dawn, so feel free to enjoy some extra time with Miku._

Len smiled at Rin's text.

_Thanks Rin. I love you._

_I love you too bro._

Len slipped his cell phone back into his pocket. Dawn wasn't far away, so he was happy that he could now at least get to see Miku before he left.

Len crawled back in through the window, heart pounding because of his intense fear of heights, and looked at Miku. Something about her being asleep soothed him, but perhaps it was because of how peaceful she looked. Everyone looked innocent and at peace when asleep, but to Len, Miku was the most beautiful being in the world. He sat on her bed and reached out to stroke her face.

"Hmmm," she mumbled. Opening her eyes half-way, Miku looked at him. "Len," she smiled sleepily.

"Sorry," he apologized, "I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's okay," Miku said. By the way she was talking, Len was convinced that part of her was still in dream land. "Len?"

"Yes, Miku," Len said.

"Do you have to leave?" she asked.

"Not for a couple of hours," Len said, happy to give her the good news.

"Good," Miku sighed happily. She turned her body to face Len but fell asleep immediately after getting comfortable in the new position.

"This girl could fall asleep anywhere," Len mentally laughed. He lied down and positioned himself so that he could watch her sleep. He reached out and took her hand, squeezing it every now and again.

Most of the two hours were spent with Miku asleep, but it didn't matter to Len. Just to be near her, especially while she was so calm and peaceful, was enough for Len. When she finally began to stir, it was almost time for Len to go. "Good morning, my princess," Len said to Miku when she had opened her eyes.

"Good morning," she yawned. "Do you have to go now?"

"Sadly, I do," Len said, "but I'll be back tonight."

"Can't wait," Miku said. "Len?"

"Yes?"

"Stop calling me a princess," Miku said.

"And why would I do that?" Len asked.

"Because I asked you to," Miku said.

"Not a good enough reason," Len said. He stood up and squeezed her hand again. "You're my princess, Miku, and nothing is going to change that."

"And you're my prince," Miku said, squeezing his hand back. "I love you."

Len leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I love you too," he said with his lips still close to Miku's forehead.

"See you tonight?"

"See you tonight," Len confirmed. He knew he was going to have to get over his fear of heights if he was going to pay Miku these nightly visits, but for her, it would be worth it.

* * *

Author's Note: I know this was a filler chapter, but I seriously could not resist writing it. I also majorly suck at romance, as you all should know by now, but I do think this was definitely better than the failed confession scene. Yeah, still crying about how awful that chapter came out. Anyway, I promise things are going to get more serious from here on out.

-Ray


	23. Chapter 23

"I can't believe you tricked me into doing this!" Meiko hissed as she sat with Luka at the Cherry Grill Bar. Meiko wore a long blond wig and Luka a short black one in order to hide their identities. Meiko shifted uncomfortably in the mini skirt she wore, not used to dressing as such. She also wore a gold shiny top, a black sweater vest, and tan heels. Luka, on the other hand, wore Meiko's black skinny jeans and a blood red shirt that had black flowers near the bottom. "And what makes you think the note meant THIS Saturday?" Meiko asked.

"I just want to know what Mother is doing here," Luka said quietly enough for only Meiko to hear. "Besides, I'm certain it's today. It's the only free Saturday she's had this month."

"Don't you think the old woman is actually interested in dating again?" Meiko suggested. "It's been ten years since your dad died."

Luka leaned back. "I'm not saying that's impossible, I believe that she's moved on, but I don't think she would keep coming here a secret."

"Maybe she doesn't want you to think that your dad's being replaced," Meiko thought.

"I'm nineteen," Luka reminded Meiko, "perfectly old enough to understand such things. Besides, Mother wouldn't be so sneaky about it. I know she wouldn't."

Meiko said nothing but looked off into the distance. By the stare she had on her face Luka was certain that Meiko wasn't paying attention to her. "I think we should leave," Meiko said slowly.

"Why?" Luka asked as she leaned closer to Meiko.

"Those," Meiko said slowly, "those are the vampires we fought that day. . ."

Luka looked over her shoulder and instantly saw who Meiko was talking about. The man had the same military hair cut and blood red eyes that Luka remembered, and the girl had long black hair and also a set of red eyes. These were the vampires that Meiko had received the call about that day in the yogurt shop, the day she had meet Miku. "What are they doing here?" Luka wondered aloud.

"Nothing good, I bet," Meiko said, "but since there aren't any White Flowers here then I suppose we shouldn't worry about them." Meiko looked into Luka's eyes. "Now I see why you wanted to wear my clothes, you wanted to smell like me."

"I'm not careless, you know," Luka said as she pushed up the sunglasses that she was wearing to hide her baby blue eyes. "Who knows how many vampires may happen to be in the area?"

Meiko said nothing but kept a close eyes on the vampires, and she and the girl vampire made eye contact. The vampire knew that Meiko was a wolf, and she knew that Meiko knew that she was a vampire. The stare held for a long time, neither of them breaking eye contact the whole event. It wasn't until Luka had snapped Meiko out of her trance did the stare break.

"Huh?" Meiko said, returning to reality.

"I said 'I see her,'" Luka repeated. "Mother is here, and she's moving towards the back."

Meiko looked and, sure enough, Lady Megurine was taking a seat in the back of the bar. The lady had her pink hair rolled into a bun and she wore a beige cocktail dress. "Well she certaintly isn't under-dressed," Meiko commented.

"Let's move closer," Luka said as she began to stand up. She and Meiko moved close to where Lady Megurine was sitting, but kept a long enough distance for her to not notice them.

"I got your message," Lady Megurine said plainly.

"I honestly didn't think you would come," a deep voice, obviously belonging to a man, said.

"Well of course I would be here," Lady Megurine stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "a White Flower was murdered."

"You must believe me when I say that it was never our intention to harm any White Flowers," the man said.

"Except one?" Lady Megurine asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Except one," the voice confirmed. "Unless, of course, you wish otherwise."

"What's this all about?" Meiko hissed under her breath.

"I don't know," Luka whispered back. "Just listen."

"Would you expect me to have you continue your little raid?" the lady asked.

The voice laughed. "Well, Cora, I believe I know you well enough to know your answer."

"Cora?" Meiko quietly questioned.

"My Mother's name," Luka said. "She prefers to not use it." Meiko said nothing but nodded.

"You do?" Lady Megurine said in a, surprisingly, seductive voice.

"You want what's best for your daughter, do you not?" the man asked.

"I do," the lady said. "All I have ever wanted was the best for Luka."

Luka slightly jumped in surprise at the mention of her name.

"But," Lady Megurine said in a stern voice, "there happen to be some problems in the way."

"We'll most certainly take care of that," the voice said in pride.

"You're one of them," Lady Megurine said, narrowing her eyes.

"Well you say it like it is," the man said. "Something that even I respect."

"You understand that if this is ever found out then my reputation will go down the drain?"

"That's why I had you come alone," the voice purred. "I know how much your reputation means to you, Cora, and you should know that I would never risk it."

"What about Luka?" Lady Megurine asked. "My daughter means more to me than any title. Can her safety be garunteed?"

"Not a hair on her pink little head will be touched," the man promised.

"And her protectors?"

"They don't mess with us then we won't mess with them."

"Promise?"

"Let's seal it like we used to," the voice said.

Luka's jaw feel to the floor when she saw her mother lean forward and kiss the stranger. "What. The. Fluck." Luka said a little too loudly. Luka snapped her head in the other direction just in time for the lady and stranger to look her way. "Please don't notice me. Please don't notice me. Please don't notice me," Luka silently prayed. To her relief, neither of the adults had acknowledged her.

"We should get out of here," Meiko suggested.

"Agreed," Luka nodded.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What was that all about?!" Luka exclaimed as she took off her wig and threw it into the back of Meiko's truck.

"It looks like your mother has a boyfriend after all," Meiko shrugged.

"But how can he promise my safety?" Luka asked. "Did you get anything from him, Meiko?"

"Not that he reeks of alcohol," Meiko said as she wrinkled her nose from the memory of his stench. "I can't believe your mother would pick someone like that."

"Do you think that maybe he's from another tribe?" Luka wondered.

"It's possible," Meiko shrugged. "Just exactly how many wolf tribes are there?"

"At least one in every country, or so I heard," Luka guessed. "After the fall of the Hatsune kingdom, most White Flowers and shapeshifters migrated in hopes of finding new beginnings. Not to mention that not all shapeshifters had lived in the Hatsune kingdom so chances are that there are one hundred shapeshifters for every one White Flower."

Meiko whistled at the statistics. "I always knew that not all shapeshifter communities had White Flowers in them, but I didn't picture that there are only a few of them that do."

"I think there's a dozen or so," Luka shrugged. "There's only five from English speaking countries that I know of, including us."

Meiko mouthed a "whoa" at the thought of how many wolves may actully be walking on Earth as of right then "White Flowers take up a smaller portion of the beings who resemble humans, don't they?"

"Humans, vampires, and shapeshifters are pretty equal when it comes to population," Luka said, "but we White Flowers haven't been in human form for very long. It also doesn't help that we can only be female." Luka shrugged. "Oh well, it doesn't matter."

Meiko shrugged as she continued to drive. They were entering the next town when Meiko said, "We need to pull over, truck's almost out of gas."

"Well then how about I buy us some candy bars then?" Luka suggested.

"You know what I like," Meiko smiled.

"Oh," Luka said, "and Meiko?"

"Yeah, Luka?"

"It's okay for you to take off your wig now."

"I don't know," Meiko smiled, "I think blond suits me."

Luka smiled as she gave her friend a playful slap. Luka hoped out of the car and made her way into the store. She picked up Butterfinger for Meiko and a cookies-n-cream Hersheys bar for herself and made her way to the checkout.

"Will this be all?" the clerk asked.

Luka threw a pack of gum on the counter. "Now it is," she said. As the clerk was checking out her items, Luka noticed a newspaper with Gumi's death on the front page. Picking it up, Luka inspected it and read the first paragraph.

"Sad thing that happened to that girl," the clerk said as he rung up the total on the cashregister.

"Tragic," Luka said. "I knew her."

"Well I'm sorry for your loss," the man said. "The total is three dollars and twenty-one cents."

Luka paid for the candy and left the store. It was never easy to cover up a vampire attack, so the shapeshifters always did the autopsy so that they could make up conclusions that didn't involve vampires. "Good thing a single vampire can't kill a human or there would be no way to hide their existence," Luka thought.

"Ready to go?" Meiko asked as she continued to pump gas.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Luka smiled. Meiko only nodded and went back to the pump. Meiko was a great friend that way, she only talked to you when you wanted to talk, and knew when you were ready or not.

After Luka sat in the car did she remember. "The man said that it 'was never our intention to hurt a White Flower.' Does that mean he's involved with who ever killed Gumi? And just exactly who is 'we'? And Mother-" Luka gasped. "What is she doing with him if she knows that he has something to do with Gumi's killer? And he said he only has intentions to harm one White Flower, but who is she?" Luka's eyes widened when the realization dawned on her. "Miku!"

"Ready to go home?" Meiko asked when she hopped into her truck. Noticing Luka's uneasy expression, Meiko asked, "What's wrong, Luka? You look as if you've just seen a ghost."

"And so will you when you hear what I have to say," Luka said, not even bothering to make eye contact with Meiko but instead continued to stare off into space.

"What's up?" Meiko said carefully.

Luka slowly looked at Meiko and said, "I think Mother does have some secrets after all."

* * *

Author's Note: Looks as though the lady isn't a nice lady at all. Or is she? The mystery man is the answer to these questions, but he won't be saying anything that easily. And why am I talking like that?

Moving on, didn't I say that things were getting more serious? Well if things aren't serious enough for you now then just you wait.

-Ray


	24. Chapter 24

"Hold still," Miku commanded. She was at the twins' house preparing to go to the party, and Rin wasn't exactly a fun person to help dress up.

"I look like a girl!" Rin complained when she saw herself in the mirror, even going as far as to stomp her foot on the ground.

"Rin," Miku sighed as she made Rin stop looking at the mirror, "hasn't anyone told you that you ARE a girl?"

"Does that seriously mean that I have to dress like one? Ow!"

"Sorry," Miku apologized as she brushed some of Rin's blond hair back into place. "If you would just hold still then this wouldn't be so hard."

Getting Rin ready had drained most on Miku's energy. Rin was very stubborn about the make-up and Miku, who didn't like wearing make-up herself, had to work hard to convince Rin that it was all part of the formal attire. Rin only agreed that would she would wear some as long as it was put on sparingly, and, to her relief, Miku had not added much at all. "All you really needed was mascarae and a little blush," Miku had said. After Rin had put on her dress, Miku had started working on the blond's hair, something taking a lot longer than it should.

"Ow!" Rin complained again. "Stop stabbing me!"

"If you don't hold still then of course I'm going stab you with bobby-pins," Miku gripped. "I give up!" Miku threw her hands in the air. "You won't stand still long enough for me to put your hair into a bun!"

"You keep stabbing me with those pins!" Rin defended.

"Because you weren't holding still!" Miku argued. Crossing her arms she said, "I have another idea, so please be nice about this one."

"Fine!" Rin huffed. How most girls wore make-up and did their hair every day and still be sane was a great mystery to Rin. As long as she was clothed, Rin didn't think it mattered how she looked at all.

Miku took a hair brush and ran it through Rin's short blond hair. Taking her curling iron, Miku used it on Rin's shoulder length hair and created soft, beautiful curls. Miku then pulled the hair back into pins, similiar to how Rin usually wore it, and added a hair clip with a small white flower at the top. "There," Miku marveled at her masterpiece, "like it?"

When Rin looked into her mirror, her jaw dropped when she saw her own reflection looking back at her. "Is that even me?" she asked in wonder. "That doesn't even look like me." Pale, plain looking Rin was now a pretty girl to look at. The blush helped liven up her white face and the mascarae made her lashes look thicker and longer, thus making her eyes appear bigger. The pink lipstick, accompanied by a little gloss, made Rin's lips so soft and warm looking. Her blond hair, now decorated with curls so tight that her hair looked chin length, gave her the appearance of a darling young lady. Actually, Rin looked sweet, pure, and even innocent.

"Well it is," Miku smiled. "You look very beautiful, Rin."

"Thank you," Rin said, still amazed at her transformation.

Miku then went to do her own hair. She, too, had her hair curled but instead wore it in a single side ponytail. Just for the fun of it, Miku braided a small lock of her torquise hair and tied it at the end so that it would stay. "What do you think?" she asked Rin.

"You look like a princess," Rin smiled. "Oh wait," she giggled, "you are a princess."

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me a princess?" Miku asked, slightly annoyed.

"Even if you told me eleventy-billion times to not call you a princess, I still would," Rin said. "It's kind of fun watching it get on your nerves."

"You are some kind of evil, Rin," Miku shook her head.

"Should we go?" Rin suggested after looking at the time. "The party starts in twenty minutes."

"Where is this place, anyway?" Miku asked.

"The tribe's mansion, where all affairs are worked out," Rin answered. "That's where the party's held every year."

"Well then I guess we should go," Miku said as she turned the door knob to leave Rin's room.

"How can anybody walk in these?!" Rin exclaimed when she started walking down the stairs while wearing high heels.

"Walk on your toes," Miku suggested. Miku didn't like heels either, but they looked nicer than flats.

Rin gave it a shot. "Better," she sighed in relief.

"Just be thankful that we were both lucky enough to find two-inch heels shoes and didn't get stuck with five or six," Miku said. Rin gulped at the single thought of walking in shoes like those.

"Well, don't you ladies look beautiful tonight," Len's warm voice said.

When Miku looked at Len, she saw that he was wearing a gray tuxedo and a blue tie that really made his eyes pop. "Looking good yourself, sir."

Len laughed at Miku's statement. When he got a good look at Rin he exclaimed, "Who is that?!"

"Haha, very funny, Len," Rin said without humor as she placed her hands on her hips.

"You actually look like a girl," Len commented.

"It's horrible, isn't it?" Rin dramatically asked.

Len shook his head. "Never did I think that I would see the day where Rin dressed like a girl."

"Don't get used to it," Rin snorted, "you may not ever see me like this again." With that she stormed off, only to trip in her heels.

"For her sake, let's hope not," Miku said. "Poor thing can't walk in heels to save her life."

"Think we should take a picture of her in that dress?" Len suggested.

"I don't see why not," Miku shrugged.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"So glad you three could make it," Luka warmly greeted. Her hair was pulled into a tight bun and she wore a sky blue dress that had a long cut on the side to show off one of her slender legs.

"So glad to be invited," Miku said. Miku stared in awe at not only how beautiful Luka looked, but also how Meiko and Kaito looked as well. Meiko wore a blood red dress that did an excellent job of showing off her figure, and the red flower in her short hair was a nice touch. Kaito wore a white tuxedo with a light blue undershirt and a cream colored tie. The three of them looked amazing when compared to how they normally looked.

"Is that Rin?" Kaito asked in astonishment when he saw said blond.

"It's me," Rin said with pride. For a girl who hated dressing up, she loved the attention she was receiving. Soon enough, a lot of boys were trying to have a conversation with her.

Miku shook her head at Rin. Her eyes then lighted up when she spotted a certain figure not too far from her. "Haku!" Miku more than happily greeted.

"Hi Miku," Haku said sheepishly. Haku wore a sweet, light purple dress that had lavender lacing on it. "How are you?"

"Not too bad," Miku said. "You look wonderful this evening."

"Thank you," Haku answered as a slight blush colored her checks. "You look beautiful."

"Thanks," Miku said. "Is Neru here?" Miku asked as she scanned the crowd for yellow hair. "Or Nero?"

"Neru's here," Haku answered, "but Nero isn't. He's not allowed to come to these sort of things."

"Why not?" Miku curiously asked.

"Hi Miku," Neru said, carrying a glass of punch in each hand. Neru dress in a dress the same shade of yellow as her hair but there was black lacing on the collar, sleeves, and bottom.

"Hi Neru," Miku said, forgetting all about her question.

"Hi Len," Neru greeted the boy. "How are you tonight?"

"Still amazed that my sister looks like a girl," Len said as he stabbed his thumb towards Rin's direction.

"Sometimes I think she was meant to be born a boy," Neru said. "Who would have thought she would actually enjoy herself in a dress?"

"Wasn't easy getting her into it," Miku said. It was a good thing Rin always kept her nails short or else Miku would be covered in scratches. "She nearly broke my arm when I tried to apply make-up on her."

"I don't doubt that," Neru said. "Hey Haku," Neru said while turning to her cousin, "I saw Avanna while I was getting the punch. I told her I would drag you over to talk to her because I know how much she misses you."

"I didn't know Avanna was in town," Haku said. To Miku she said, "I'll see you around."

"See ya," Miku responded. To Len she asked. "Who's Avanna?"

"She used to study healing with Luka and Haku," Len answered. "She and her protector moved to the Aoki tribe about a couple of years ago." Len frowned. "I always wondered why she moved away from friends and family, but I think I may know now."

"Why?" Miku said, looking up at Len.

"The law is non-existent in the Aoki tribe," was all Len said.

Miku said nothing but knew why Len had meant. Avanna was in love with her protector - whom Miku assumed was the blond boy who stood with Haku, Neru, and a brunette who had to be Avanna - so she left all she knew to live in a tribe full of strangers so that she could be with the one she loved. Miku bite her lip. How could Miku ever leave her family? How could she ever abandon the people who took her and raised her as their own flesh and blood daughter? Miku had friends from school whom she didn't want to leave, even if they weren't close friends. Teto, SeeU, Dell, Rion, Lui - how could she forget about her human friends? Now add on Haku, Luka, Meiko, Kaito, Nero, and Neru and then she can see how there was just no way she could up and leave and not feel the least bit sorrowful. Len had to have felt the same; friends and family meant everythig to Len, he could never abandon those he loved even if he had wanted to. Trying to shift her train of thought, Miku looked for Rin and found a flock of boys flirting with her.

"Well she's popular," Miku laughed. At first it hurt Miku that she was being ignored by other boys, but then she noticed how Len was standing close to her and giving a stare at any boy who looked at Miku. "You're the jealous type, aren't you?" she teasingly asked.

"What are you talking about?" Len asked while giving her an innocent smile. "Are you interesting in the boys here?"

"No," Miku shook her head, "but that doesn't mean that I wouldn't like the attention."

"Isn't mine enough?" Len smirked.

Miku sighed. "It would be, but you know what would happen if we were found out."

"True," Len nodded. Just then the both had noticed how some couples we dancing together. "Would the princess like to dance?" Len asked.

"What is this, a ball?" Miku almost snorted.

"Similiar to one," Len answered.

Miku slightly leaned forward. "Will it be okay?"

"Sure," Len shrugged, "neither of us can dance anyway so we're probably look more like a couple of morons then simply just a couple."

Miku smiled when she realized he was right. Both of them danced as if they had two left feet so they would probably just stand a couple of feet apart and freestyle it. "Okay," Miku laughed.

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"What's so funny, Luka?" Meiko asked her laughing friend. Luka said nothing but pointed at Miku and Len, who were dancing as if they were barefoot at a hot beach. "That is . . . I don't know what to say to about that," Meiko said as she tried not to crack up.

"Why don't you and Kaito show them how it's done?" Luka suggested with a smile.

"How what's done?" Kaito, who had just returned from getting punch for the three of them, asked.

"Luka wants you and me to dance," Meiko said with disgust.

"Why not?" Kaito said, surprising Meiko.

"Wait!" Meiko said quickly. "You want to dance with me? With ME?!" Kaito said nothing but held out his hand. "Fine," Meiko rolled her eyes. She wasn't going to admit that she had wanted to dance with him, but Luka knew Meiko well enough to know what Meiko was thinking.

Luka then stared off into space as she went into deep thought. She knew that her mother was up to something, but how can Luka prove it? Even with Meiko as a witness, it wasn't enough to prove that her mother is actually helping whoever wants Miku dead. Luka put more thought into it. Perhaps more than just the vampires want to kill Miku; maybe there is something else after her as well. Luka almost confronted her mother about the issue, but decided against it. If Luka could only get her hands on solid proof, then maybe things would make a turn for the better. Well, better for Miku, that is.

"My I have this dance?"

Luka snapped out of her daze and looked to see a tall man with long purple hair. It took her longer than needed, but she managed to scrap his name out of her head. "Why Gakupo," she said sweetly, "don't you look ravishing."

"Thank you," Gakupo smiled. "But nothing can compare with your beauty."

"Oh really?" Luka asked. Luka was so used to men hitting on her that she would act interested and then straight up turn them down flat. It was cruel of her, she knew, but Luka wanted to send the signal that she was not easy.

"Really," Gakupo answered.

"And you wish to dance with me?" Luka asked.

"Only if you want to," Gakupo said. Looking at Meiko and Kaito he said, "I remember when those two kissed on the playground. What a sight."

Luka gave a little laugh. "Whoever dared them to is a genius."

"Thank you," Gakupo said.

"It was you?!" Luka said with slight surprise.

"You don't remember, do you?" Gakupo asked a bit sadly.

Luka shook her head. "I never knew who dared them, and I didn't ask either. But let me ask: Why did you dare them to kiss?"

Gakupo smirked. "Isn't it obvious that they like each other? Neither will admit it, but I know they have feelings for the other."

"I knew I wasn't the only one who saw it," Luka smiled evilly.

"So," Gakupo said, "do you want to dance?"

* * *

Author's Note: I. Am. So. Sorry. D': I feel so awful for neglecting all of my wonderful readers and I just can't apologize enough. I'm so so so so so very sorry, everyone! It's just that I write ALL of my fanfiction on my iPod and I haven't had it these last couple of months. The home button wasn't working so I had my iPod get fixed, and that alone took a month. After the home button was fixed the guy broke the screen putting it back together so there was another month in waiting for that. I know I shouldn't complain because now I have a new screen (old one was scratched up because I drop things like crazy) and everything but I just feel so awful for not updating! T-T

I did post two chapters, but I don't think it counts because those were originally one chapter that I divided because of length. I am so neglectful and am such a horrible person, and I in no way deserve any readers and such nice reviews. *lies face down in emo hallway* *cries* You may all proceed to hate me now. T-T

-Ray


	25. Chapter 25

Not sure why she had agreed, Luka followed Gakupo to the dancefloor and started to dance with him. Something told Luka that dancing with Gakupo was a necessity, but she quite couldn't put her finger on it. It wasn't any type of attraction though, Luka knew it for a fact.

"Why did you want to dance with me?" Luka asked, the tone in her voice asking Gakupo to cut straight to business.

Gakupo leaned close, as if to plant a kiss on Luka's cheek, and said into her ear, "You know the night that Gumi was killed?" Luka shuddered, not at all liking the reminder. "Well, you know as well as I do that this whole area, even the forest, is surrounded by a gate. How else do we keep vampires out but a tall wall and security sensors?"

When Gakupo pulled back, Luka stood on her toes and whispered in his ear, "There is no other way, but why are you asking me? What matter does this have?"

Gakupo waited a few minutes before bringing his lips back to her ear. Whether this was to prepare what he was going to say, or making sure nobody was paying them any heed, Luka wasn't sure, but if it was the latter then maybe what he had to say held some importance that wasn't for other's ears. "Well my dad was watching the gates that night, as you already may know, and he couldn't figure out how a vampire got in without his detection. After giving it some thought he decided to check the entire perimeter. It took him days, but he managed to find something interesting."

When he didn't continue Luka began to wonder whether or not he was going to let her know what was so interesting. Biting her lip, Luka said "Must be very interesting is you're choosing you words carefully."

"Not carefully," Gakupo said, "cautiously." Leaning back down he said, "There was a tamper in the security in the farther end of the forest. It's puzzling, you know? There are only two people who know how to fix security without setting anything off."

"You and your dad?" Luka asked, unsure of answer.

"Not me," Gakupo said as if with regret. "My dad and your mom."

Luka bit her lip so hard that she started to bleed. "What are you saying? Why are you telling me this?"

"Dad doesn't trust the Lady, and even though I shouldn't be telling you this I believe you do have the right to know. Now Luka, did I make a mistake in trusting you?"

Luka didn't know how to respond. If she said "yes", as she ought to do, she would make Gakupo think that she will inform her mother of Mr. Kamui's accusations; but if she said "no" she will easily show Gakupo that she has distrust in her own mother. She then realized that if she did say "yes" and didn't tell her mother anything then Gakupo may realize that she had lied. Gakupo wasn't an idiot, at least not like Kaito was. "I think you have very interesting information," was all Luka decided to say.

Gakupo smiled and said, "I think I should let you go now. Your friends are giving us a look."

Luka looked over her shoulder and saw Meiko and Kaito looking at them. "I guess I should go," Luka said, knowing that her best friends were going to ask her a ton of questions.

"Hold on," Gakupo said. He took a handkerchief out of his jacket and wiped the blood off of Luka's lips. "There," he smiled when the only red left on Luka's lips was her lipsitck. "Keep what I said in mind, okay?" Luka only nodded as an answer. Gakupo smiled and, before Luka knew what happened, he brushed his lips against her's and left before she could react.

"What is that Kamui boy up to?" Luka thought as she gently touched her lips.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"We're an embarrassment!" Miku laughed. The way she and Len danced made people stop what they were doing and watch for how comedic it was.

"Do you care?" Len asked.

"Nope!" Miku answered. The mood had instantly changed when the music slowed down. She saw how the couples were got close together and swayed with the music. Miku began to twirl her fingers nervously, but she noticed a hand extended towards her. "Are you sure?" Miku asked cautiously.

"I'm going to ask again," Len smiled, "do you care?"

Miku gently took his hand. "No," was her quiet whisper. The two pulled close together and danced, or at least tried to dance, with the music. "Aren't you afraid that someone will see us?" she asked.

"Look around," Len said, "everybody's in there own world right now; nobody is watching us."

"Not even your dad?" Miku asked. With how strick that man was, even Miku and Len standing two feet together was a bad thing.

Len frowned. "I think he and Mom are more interesting in the dancing. Besides, remember prom last year?"

Miku silently laughed at the memory. Instead of each of them getting dates, the three had went together and took turns dancing together. Sometimes Rin would dance with Len, Miku would dance with Rin, and Len would dance with Miku. Miku had actually enjoyed dancing with Len, it was a wonderful feeling to her. She couldn't help but wonder, how much more wonderful a feeling would it have been if she and Len had confessed to each other before? They had loved each other then, but now their love could separate them. "What if we do get separated?" Miku asked as she looked up into Len's turquoise eyes.

"I won't let them take me away from you," Len said, and, as if to add meaning to his words, he tightened his grip on Miku.

Miku nervously bit her lip. "I can't help but feel as if that won't be enough."

Unaware to the two, Lady Megurine was watching from a distance. "Jed," she called.

"Yes, my lady?" Mr. Kagamine said as he left his wife in order to see what Lady Megurine had wanted.

"Look at your son," the lady ordered.

Mr. Kagamine looked to see his son and Miku dancing together. A little too closely together. "You don't suppose they are guilty of breaking the law?" he asked. "The two are close, the fact that they are dancing doesn't surprise me."

"But look at how they stare at each other," Lady Megurine observed. "They have more than just a protector and White Flower relationship, even if they don't know it."

"So what do you suggest?" Mr. Kagamine asked. Truth was he didn't want the two to be separated, but only because of Miku's bloodline and not the close friendship the princess and his son obviously share. If Miku were just another girl, Mr. Kagamine would have no problem with separation whatsoever.

"What we always do whenever the law is broken," Lady Megurine said flatly.

Miku and Len leaned closer together, almost as if they were going to kiss.

"I believe you may be right," Mr. Kagamine said. He didn't want to be the father of a law breaker, but Mr. Kagamine would rather have the problem end quickly before it grew too big and too well known.

"'May be'?" the lady asked with a hint of a snort. "First thing after tonight we separate your children from the princess and look for new protectors for her."

Mr. Kagamine took a deep breath before speaking. "Understood."

Both had watched as the Miku and Len leaned even closer together, but had turned away as the discussion was over. Had they watched a little longer, they would have seen that Miku and Len weren't leaning in for a kiss, but to rest their heads against each other. Resting their foreheads against the other's had always been a sign of affection for them, dating back to their days in Kindergarten. Rin had always joined in, of course, but this time she wasn't around to share the love.

"I feel so short right now," Miku laughed.

"I'm taller than you," Len said, "so of course you need to stand on your toes."

Just then the lights went out. The room became pitched black and the atmosphere was immediately filled with uneasiness. No screams were heard, but since the room was filled with shapeshifters it was possible that they had all thought of screaming as unnecessary. Miku could feel Len secure his grip on her, as if to prevent from losing her to the darkness. The shuffling of feet echoed in the room, and murmuring soon followed.

"What's going on?" Miku asked in a whisper.

"Hell if I know!" Len said, a bit annoyed by the situation.

"I can't see anything," Miku said as she held close to Len.

"Don't worry," Len said, "my wolf eyes can handle this kind of darkness. I can't exactly see like I want to, but I can make out shapes and figures."

"Miku! Len!" Rin called as she approached them.

"Rin!" Miku and Len said at the same time.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Rin said as she passed some people. Placing a hand on Len's shoulder she asked, "Len, is that you?"

"Yes, Rin, it's me," Len said as he wrapped his arm around his sister. He felt as if he needed to keep Miku and Rin close to him, and he was going to hold them close no matter what either would say.

"Should we be worried?" Miku asked the twins.

"I don't think so," Rin said. She laughed a little. "Maybe Lady Megurine forgot to pay the electric bill."

"Really Rin?" Len said with annoyance in his voice.

"Well excuse me for trying to lighten the mood," Rin said. It didn't take looking at Rin's face to tell that she was giving her brother an ugly look.

"Maybe we should all just calm down," Miku said to them.

"Fine," Len said. "As long as-"

"Wait," Rin cut him off.

"What? I was-" Len started but was interrupted again.

"I said 'wait'!" Rin ordered. "Do you smell that?"

Miku tried to sniff the air, but then remembered that she didn't have a strong sense of smell like the twins. Rin and Len continued to sniff the air. Miku felt herself tense up due to the situation, and it didn't help that she couldn't tell what Rin was smelling. As time passed Miku's nervousness grew into anxiety, and she held closely to Len. Len tightened his grip on Miku in an attempt to comfort her. He and Rin continued to sniff the air around them. At first it was faint, but soon enough they both had figured it out.

"Vampires!" Rin and Len both shouted at the same time.

* * *

Author's Note: *still lying down in emo hallway* *still crying* Well, here's the other chapter. It's really short and sucks really bad. T-T I'm such a horrible person and I'm really really sorry. The next update won't take too long. I promise!

-Ray


	26. Chapter 26

Now the room was in panic. Many female screams were heard as well as many shouts about getting the White Flowers somewhere safe. People were running about, not looking where they were going. Some had bumped into Len, causing him to lose his grip on Rin and Miku. Someone had slammed into the arm Len was using to hold Miku, causing him to let go. Before Miku could find Len again, the pushes of the crowd made her stumble and fall. By the time she had stood back up she wasn't sure exactly where she was in the room. "Len?! Rin?!" she called and then cursed herself for losing the twins so easily. Miku wished that her eyes were as useful in the dark as the wolves were, but wishing wasn't going to help her find either of her best friends. Miku did the only thing she could think of: she went with the group, all who were running towards the exit. Everything was fine until something had grabbed her arm and began dragging her away. Miku had wanted to scream, but her voice was caught in her throat. "I'm going to die!" she cried in her head. "I'm really going to die!"

"Miku?"

Miku immediately regonized the voice. Opening her tightly shut eyes, Miku saw Rin staring at her. "Rin!" Miku gasped in relief. "You scared me!"

"Sorry," Rin said as she began dragging Miku away. "Now come with me; there's no time to lose!"

"Where's Len?!" Miku managed to ask as she tried to keep up with the blond's speed.

"He went outside to help fight," Rin answered, "and he told me to watch out for you. Now in here," Rin ordered when she came across an empty room filled only with cleaning supplies.

"What are we doing in-" Miku began but was cut off.

"Switch dresses with me," Rin ordered Miku.

"What?!" Miku exclaimed.

"Switch dresses," Rin repeated. "My dress smells like me, so if you wear it then your White Flower scent will be clouded by my wolf scent. It's the best approach for protection right now."

Miku said nothing but gave a confirming nod. The girls quickly switched dresses, Miku now wearing Rin's blue dress and Rin Miku's black and white one. When the girls had finished, they emerged from the room and Rin said, "Go towards the end of the hall. I can smell Neru down there along with Luka and Haku. There isn't a vampire that I can smell so you should be able to get there on your own."

"Are you sure?" Miku asked but wasn't going to argue.

"You smell like me now," Rin smiled. "Right now the vampires will be repelled by you so you should be able to get there before they notice that you're missing. Now hurry!"

Miku ran towards the direction Rin had pointed, her heels clanking against the hard floor. When Miku had gone, Rin ran in the opposite direction, heading towards the outside. There weren't, thank God, a lot of vampires, and the shapeshifters seemed to have everything under control. Rin began to smile with satisfaction before she noticed a figure running behind the building. Rin ran after it, keeping her human form. She followed the small figure until it was cornered, trapping itself from escape.

"Nowhere to run now, vampire," Rin growled. The vampire turned its head to look a Rin.

The she-vampire was, of course, incredibly pale and had long, flowing black hair and blood red eyes. "I tricked you," she said in a laugh that sounded playful, as if this were a game and not a battle.

Before Rin had time to be confused, something grabbed her from behind and threw her across the lot. Rin smashed into a tree and rolled a few feet after she landed. Too filled with surprise, Rin lied there in complete shock. "I need to get up," she thought a few moments later. Slowly and shakingly, Rin carefully stood on her legs and looked towards the direction she was thrown. The girl vampire was gone, but she saw another vampire who had dark hair and matching dark eyes. When he spoke, his voice was deep. "That wasn't all my power," he said, "but I might as well kill you and get it over with."

"Not if I kill you first," Rin said, but her words were useless. Before she could phase, the vampire quickly approached her and grabbed her tightly around the ankle. He yanked at her, causing Rin to fall from loss of balance and land on her back. He squeezed her ankle tightly, making Rin cry in agonizing pain.

"Prepare to die, dog!" he spat before flinging Rin towards the wall. When she hit the building, Rin felt as if she had been crushed, and she had slammed her head as well. Rin crumpled to the floor, checking to see if she could still wiggle her toes. She was thankful to find that she could still move them, but she had a lot of trouble moving the toes on the foot with ankle the vampire had grabbed her by. "Now to break your neck," the vampire said as he approached Rin.

Rin tilted her head to look at him. She was in too much pain to move any further, and her vision was being obscured by the little black dots that were everywhere. Rin knew that there was nothing she could do now, nothing but wait to die. She was stupid and careless to not phase first thing, and now she was going to pay for her mistake.

The vampire was just in front of Rin before a giant yellow wolf attacked him from the side. The vampire, caught by surprise, fell to the ground. He tried to run away but the wolf caught up to him quickly, bitting the vampire on the neck.

Before Rin could thank Len, she slipped into the void known as unconsciousness.

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Miku continued to run down the hall, heels clicking and creating a fast rhythm, almost like a pop song. Right when she began to believe that she was heading in the wrong direction, she had found the girls she was looking for.

"Miku!" both Luka and Haku greeted in relief.

Neru wrinkled her nose. "I have to admit Rin can be pretty smart in certain situations. Switching dresses wasn't a bad idea; I thought she was the one coming down here, not you."

Miku said nothing but tried to catch her breath. "Is it safe here?" she managed to ask.

"Should be," Luka answered, "every shapeshifter is outside right now, excluding Neru, so chances are no vampires are in the building."

"And all the other White Flowers?"

"I don't know, but I'm sure they're all okay."

Miku said nothing but nodded her head. All that running had left her breathless, so she was still breathing pretty heavily.

"Wait," Neru said. She sniffed the air carefully, closing her eyes to help increase her sense on smell. Her eyes popped open as she exclaimed, "There's a vampire already in here!"

Luka cursed under her breath. "We need to get out of here!" she said aloud.

"Where do we go?" Haku asked.

Luka looked around the room. "There," she pointed to a pillar in the corner. "There's a hidden passageway behind there."

"Are you sure?" Neru asked but approached the pillar anyway. It took some of her strength, but she managed to pull the pillar free from the wall that it had been stuck to for most probably decades. "Everyone inside," she ordered.

Nobody questioned the blond, and they all ran inside. After Neru closed the pillar door, the room went pitch black. "Again?" Miku inwardly moaned. Just then lights went on.

"This place was built only fifty or sixty years ago," Luka smiled as she removed her finger from the switch, "so there's electricity in here. And the electricity in here is separate from the main building, that's why the lights here work."

"Genius," Neru silently complimented. "Now where to?"

"Up leads to the roof, down leads to an underground passage that leads to my home," Luka said. "Your choice, Neru."

"Your home would be safest," Neru immediately concluded. "Let's go."

The four girls took the stairs downward, and it didn't take long for them to reach to bottom. Neru was about to lead them through the tunnel when her eyes filled with terror. "There's a vampire here!" she almost cursed.

"What do we do now?" Haku asked, shaking like a leaf.

Neru took a deep breath. "Get the princess outta here; I'll hold off the vampire."

"Neru, are you-" Haku began but was interrupted by Neru.

"Do as I say!" Neru snapped. Haku nodded slowly and began leading the way up the stairs, followed closely by Luka and Miku. "Come and get me, you stupid blood sucker!" Neru taunted before she phased. The vampire came fast, but Neru was a split second faster.

Miku cringed as she heard the fight only some feet below. She quickened her pace so that she would be closer to Haku and Luka, not that being close to them is any safer. Miku remembered that Neru told Haku to "get the princess outta here", but who did Neru refer to as the princess? Was it Luka or herself? Shaking her head, Miku kept close behind the girls.

"We need to keep going," Haku said, surprising Miku with her bold determination.

"Do you think the roof is a good idea?" Luka asked.

Haku pursed her lips. "It's better than going back down."

They hadn't of been walking much longer when footsteps came from behind. "Maybe it's Neru," Haku said, eyes widening with hope.

"We should keep going," Luka said, feeling uneasy, "Neru will catch up soon enough."

Something did shortly catch up, but it wasn't Neru. "Hello ladies," a deep, yet feminine, voice said.

The girls turned around and saw the horrid sight, a vampire. She was rather small and petite, but she had to be something if she made it past Neru. She had hair as black as the nightime sky and was cut chin length, and she had haunting black eyes. She wore a yellow dress and fish net stockings, and her short hair was clipped away from her face with baretts. She looked at them and said in a mocking tone, "I see you have another wolf with you. You should have stayed behind, or else your little friend might still be alive."

Miku shook while Haku nearly passed out. Neru . . . was dead? "You . . ." Miku spoke silently, "you killed her?"

"Snapped her neck like a twig," the vampire said proudly. She flashed her sharp white teeth. "Let's see if you can handle me."

"Leave her alone!" Luka said as she stood in front of Miku. "She's no shapeshifter! Her protector only switched clothes with her."

"Oh," the vampire looked disappointed, "then I guess killing all three of you won't be as hard as I had hoped."

Miku's throat tightened. How many more people were going to die because of her? "You want the Hatsune girl, don't you?" Miku boldly asked.

The vampire looked up at Miku. "You seem aware of our plan; how did you know?"

Miku forced the words out. "Because I'm the last Hatsune!" With that she ran away from the group. Listening to the noises behind her, Miku realized that her plan had worked; the vampire was chasing after Miku and thus leaving Luka and Haku alone. Miku ran faster than she had ever had before, and made it to the roof faster than she thought she would. Panting, Miku quickly looked for a place to go. She had hoped for a fire escape or something of the sort, but the roof was empty of any way down.

"Miku?!"

Miku looked down and saw Len staring up at her. "Len!" she answered.

"What are you doing up there?" he asked, worry thick in his voice.

"There's a vampire-" Miku started but didn't get to finish for the vampire made her arrival on the roof. Without giving it a second thought, Miku jumped off of the roof and braced herself for impact. She saw the ground quickly approaching her, but Miku wasn't at all scared. She saw how much further the roof was getting from her, but she didn't scream. She watched as Len had caught her in his arms, but when she turned to smile at him her face fell for how furious he looked.

"What were you thinking?!" Len demanded.

Miku gulped. "I was thinking that you would catch me. I think it was a better option than staying on the roof with her." Len immediately looked at the roof where said vampire was.

"Gammit!" the vampire cursed. She looked as if she was about to jump down but noticed something in the distance. "Oh no!" she gasped. She did jump down, but she was far more interested by what she saw than making sure Miku was killed.

Miku watched as the petite vampire fled the scene, and then noticed the lack of vampires outside. "Did the wolves win?"

"The vampires retreated," Len corrected. "I think when they realized that you weren't around they decided it wasn't worth losing numbers."

"But that vampire on the inside . . ." Miku trailed off. Len looked as if he tried to think about it but only shrugged it off after a while. "Where's Rin?" Miku asked. "Is she okay?"

Len stiffened at Miku's words. "She's not with you?" he asked.

Miku shook her head. "She left me with Neru so she could help with the fight outside."

"We need to find her," Len said before taking off.

"Shouldn't you put me down first?" Miku asked but he was in too much panic to hear her. Len didn't run too long before he found a blond figure lying helplessly on the ground. "Rin!" Miku gasped. Rin was lying still, too still. Miku couldn't see if Rin's chest was rising and falling, an indication that she was still breathing. Still living. Len, not very carefully, put Miku on her feet and ran towards Rin. He leaned down to check her, but his face only grew more worrisome. "Is she-" Miku tried but couldn't get the words out, "is she-"

"She's alive," Len said, relief in his voice. "Unconcious, but alive."

Miku sank to her knees. "Thank goodness!" she said quietly. It was unusual seeing Rin, who was normally confident and determined, lying on the ground so helpless and weak. Instead of the normal peaceful look one has when asleep or unconscious, Rin's face was full of pain and worry. "What happened to her?" Miku wondered.

Len noticed how shaky Miku was so he walked over to her and sat down next to her. "Don't worry," he tried to comfort her, "it's all okay now. The vampires all seem to be gone, Rin is going to be okay, and you're safe."

"I know," Miku whispered. "I know. I'm just . . . I'm just still shaken up is all."

Len reached out and pulled Miku into a comforting hug. "Don't worry, I won't let anything get to you."

Miku returned the hug. "It's not me I'm worried about."

Before Len could say anything, the duo heard a loud sound behind them, as if somebody was clearing his throat. Miku and Len let go of each other so that they could turn around and see who was behind them. To their surprise, it was Lady Megurine and Mr. Kagamine. "What do you have to say for yourself, young man?" Lady Megurine asked in a voice that dripped with venom. Miku had never once thought negatively of the Lady, but at this moment Lady Megurine reminded Miku of a poisoness snake.

Len, not exactly knowing what she had meant, said, "Miku's okay, no vampire got to her even though it almost did, and Rin-"

"Not that!" she interrupted. "I meant the law. Did you, or did you not, break it?"

Len pursed his lips as he tried to find an answer, and Miku tried to speak but the words wouldn't form in her mouth.

"I thought so," Lady Megurine said sadly. "I had always thought that Len Kagamine was a better protector for the princess than most, but I was proven wrong."

"You don't understand!" Miku exclaimed. "Len-"

"Has broken one of our two most sacred laws," Mr. Kagamine said, the disappointment for his son evident. "And it seems you have also broken it, Princess Hatsune."

Miku glared at them, at a total loss for words. She and Len had tried their hardest to only appear as friends, but it seems that it wasn't enough. "Len is my best friend," Miku said quietly, "he would never do anything to hurt me."

"Then he wouldn't have broken the law," Lady Megurine said sternly. "I assume you know the consequences for breaking the law." Miku nodded slowly. "Then you have no one to blame but each other," she said.

"But you can't do this!" Miku protested.

"Of course I can!" Lady Megurine snapped back. "This is for your own good!"

"How is leaving Miku without a protector for her own good?!" Len exclaimed, now finding his voice.

Mr. Kagamine stared daggers at Len. "She will still be under twenty-four hour protection, you just won't be protecting her."

"And Rin?" Len asked. "You most certainly can't punish her for this."

"All ties must be broken," Lady Megurine said. "You two must never see each other again."

"No," Miku whispered. "No!" she exclaimed as she stood up. "I won't let you take my best friends away from me!"

Lady Megurine shook her head. "I was afraid you would say that." With that, the lady quickly grabbed Miku and put a cloth to her face.

"Miku!" Len called as he stood up and tried to save her. "Let go of me!" Len yelled when his father got a hold of him.

"This is for your own good!" Mr. Kagamine said, keeping his son back with ease.

Len, unable to fight off his father, watched helplessly as Miku went from struggling to falling unconscious. "What did you do to her?!" Len hissed, venom thick in his voice.

Lady Megurine supported Miku's lifeless body. "She is only asleep; she will regain consciousness in a few hours."

Len stared at her, wanting nothing more than to punch the lady in her face. "What about school? You can't keep us separated there."

"True," Mr. Kagamine said, "that is why I'm having you and Rin transfer schools."

Len's heart sank. This was really going to be the last time he saw Miku, wasn't it? "Why are you doing this?"

"To save her life," Lady Megurine said as she put Miku's arm around her shoulder.

"I would never hurt her!" Len snarled.

"You already have," Lady Megurine shook her head. "You knew that loving her would result in your separation, but you loved her anyway. You've hurt her more than anyone could have ever done. You let your selfishness result in her never seeing you and Rin again. How is that, young Kagamine, never hurting her?"

Len bared his teeth. "We're just friends!"

"But your feelings for each other is more than 'just friends,' isn't it?"

It took everything in Len to not let his anger get the best of him. He may of always had a sweet temper, but now he felt anger that not even Hell could contain. "We were willing to put feelings aside," he growled.

"Len," Lady Megurine said, a flash of sympathy crossing through her eyes, "I know better than anyone that one cannot simply 'push feelings aside.'"

* * *

Author's Note: I hope this was a quick enough update for everyone. Again, so sorry for not updating in so long.

I do have quarter exams coming up, but I'll try not to let that slow down this fanfic. I really want to finish this in November (because I think it would be cool to finish a fanfic exactly six months after it started) so I'm going to be writing as much as I can to achieve that personal goal of mine.

And oh my gosh, I just noticed that this is my longest chapter ever. I mean, either my computer's wrong or there are over 3,000 words in this chapter.

-Ray


	27. Chapter 27

". . . Ughh . . . my head."

Rin moaned as she tried to move. Her head felt as if it were splitten into two, her limbs felt like jello, and her thoughts were too fuzzy for her to even understand what she was thinking. It took her a while to remember how to open her eyes, and even longer to get the necessary strength to open them. When Rin opened her eyes, she found the world around her unfamiliar. "Where am I?" she thought. It took her a minute, but she finally remembered the situation. "Miku!" she gasped aloud and used her new found strength to stand. "Aaaah!" Rin screamed when she got to her feet. Collapsing back down, Rin realized that her ankle was in intense pain, probably broken. "Dang it!" she mentally cursed. Biting her lip she thought, "I'll crawl if I have to!"

"Rin!"

Rin turned her head to see how had called her, but was instead met by a hug. "Gah!" she gasped from how forceful the sudden hug was.

"Sorry," Len said as he loosened up a bit. "Are you okay? You seem hurt."

"Forget about me!" Rin said. "We need to find Miku-"

"Miku's safe," Len interruptted, "and there's nothing to worry about anymore. All the vampires are gone and Miku is being taken to Lady Megurine's house. Now are you okay?"

Rin relaxed under the knowledge of Miku's safety. "I think I broke my ankle, and my head really hurts. I think I'll be okay, but right now I could really use a painkiller." Feeling acid come up her throat, Rin broke the hug, turned away from Len, and allowed herself to vomit. After she had thrown up everything in her system, Rin held her head and felt herself slowly losing consciousness again.

"I'll take you to Dr. VY," Len said as he stood to his feet. Surprising Rin, her brother picked her up bridal style and began carrying her. "Don't worry, I got you," Len said when he noticed Rin's shocked demeanor. Rin, not having much strength, nodded her head as she rested it against Len's shoulder. Soon enough, Rin was back to her unconscious state.

"Is she okay?" Luka asked when she saw the twins.

"Broken ankle," Len said, "and I think she may also have a concussion."

"I'm afraid that you will have to take Rin to a hospital," Luka said as she bit her lip. "Dr. VY was attacked. She's alive, but also unconscious."

Len exhaled a deep breath. "Was anybody else hurt?"

"Not too badly," Luka shook her head. "We thought that Neru was killed, but the vampire who bragged about her death wasn't actually involved in the conflict. One vampire kept Neru busy while the one who almost got Miku slipped past the fight. Neru killed the vampire she fought, but she might have broken a rib or two in the process."

"Will she be okay?" Len asked.

"Neru?" Luka almost snorted. "She's too tough for her own good. She'll be back on her feet and ready for action in week at the most."

Len didn't say anything but nodded. "Are there others who need a trip to the hospital?"

"Rin for one," Luka said as she glanced at the blond who looked helpless while being carried in her younger brother's arms, "Neru and Dr. VY as well, Mayu, and Oliver."

"Is an ambulance coming?" Len asked.

"No," Luka shook her head, her long pink hair flying with each movement, "everyone was given a ride. Want me to take you and Rin?" Luka offered.

"I'd appreciate it," Len said. He followed Luka to her vehicle and saw Meiko there.

"I'm going with you," Meiko stated, not caring if there were any objectives.

"Of course you would," Luka smiled. Meiko was never one to leave Luka alone no matter what the situation, and Luka secretly admired her best friend's loyalty.

"Hop in the back," Meiko said as she opened the back seat door for Len.

Len carefully lied Rin down on the seats, and after he made sure she was in a comfortable position he sat on one of the seats and rested Rin's head on his lap. Rin looked more relaxed now knowing that Miku was okay, but her face still looked pained. "How will she look when she finds out that we are being separated from Miku?" Len worried.

"You need to think up a story to explain why Rin is in that condition," Meiko said from the passenger seat.

Len took a moment to think up a story. "She fell down the stairs," he said.

"Seems possible with how she walks in heels," Luka said, driving the car onto the main road.

Len silently laughed. Anyone who knew Rin would believe that story. "Where's Kaito?" Len couldn't help but ask.

"He stayed behind to make sure everything wouldn't look too bad," Meiko said. "If all the party goers suddenly wind up in the hospital then we need to make sure that everything looks okay in case the police want to investigate."

"Okay," was all Len said. He looked back down at Rin, who was still out of it. Noticing something blue, he brushed the curls out of the way to see a large bruise on the side of Rin's head.

"Is she okay?" Luka asked when she saw Len's face through the rearview mirror.

"Looks as if she was hit hard," Len said as he brushed his fingers along the bruise. "I just hope that it's nothing serious."

"Me too," Luka whispered as she continued the drive to the hospital.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Miku suddenly awoke to find herself in an unfamiliar environment. Without taking the time to think, Miku crawled off of the bed she was lying on and tried to find a way out. She left the room and walked down the hallway, eventually finding a staircase. Miku slowly tip-toed down the stairs but froze when she heard voices. Instead of panicing, Miku sat on the steps and listened to the conversation.

"Are you sure this is the best step?" a woman's voice worriedly asked.

"Positive," another woman said. She spoke again with her steady and mature voice, "Better replacements will be found eventually, but until then we'll have to make do."

"At lease give her a chance to say goodbye!" the first woman pleaded. "My daughter is in the hospital! Can she at least see her best friend one last time?" It was then Miku recognized the voice as Mrs. Kagamine's.

"Rin's in the hospital?!" Miku thought as worry filled her every nerve. Rin looked beat up, but the fact she was in the hospital only made things worse.

"The sooner ties are broken, the better," the other woman, whom Miku was sure was Lady Megurine, said.

Loud footsteps were heard. Perhaps Mrs. Kagamine approached Lady Megurine and stood face-to-face with her. "Rin is suffering from a brain injury! She doesn't need ties cut, she needs her best friend! How do you think she's going to feel when she wakes up and her best friend isn't there to see her? How do you think she will feel when she learns that she's never allowed to see Miku again? At least give her that. Let Rin get a chance to say goodbye."

Tears filled Miku's eyes when she heard that. Mrs. Kagamine's voice, though forceful, was pleading. "How badly is Rin hurt?" Miku thought, thinking about the brain injury that was mentioned.

"Clarissa," Lady Megurine said, "you know I can't do that!"

"You sure as hell can!" Mrs. Kagamine yelled, surprising Miku since she never once heard the twins' mom yell or use profanity. "I kept your secret all these years, Corra, - All. These. Years. - and I never asked for anything! Anything at all! All I ask now is that you let Rin see Miku one last time." Sobs were evident in her voice now.

Mrs. Kagamine knew how close Rin and Miku were, so much that she often joked that the two were sisters and Miku was her other daughter. Miku felt a tear roll down her check. Mrs. Kagamine was like a second mother to her, and she knew that Mrs. Kagamine was doing all this not only for Rin, but for Miku as well. Miku had to force herself to not hiccup and thus give away her hiding spot. All this because she and Len loved each other? How was that fair?! Even if they hadn't confessed this still would be happening, Miku realized. The two of them were so close that it amazed her that nobody had ever mistaken the two as a couple before. Maybe they had always showed their feelings, but knowing them had only made the inevitable that much harder to bear.

Even though she couldn't see, Miku knew that Lady Megurine was shaking her head. "I'm sorry, Clary, I really am; but I'm afraid things are just going to be that much harder for Rin. If I allow this to slip, then everyone is going to think that the law doesn't hold much meaning anymore. This is for the best."

"Like hell it is!" Mrs. Kagamine hissed. "I'm going to see my daughter, and I don't care if that leaves you alone. Tell Jebediah that I'll be at the hospital if he needs me, but if he's only going to try to change my mind then to don't even bother showing up. I quit!"

"You can't quit being a protector!" Lady Megurine said in complete shock.

"I just did!" Mrs. Kagamine yelled before slamming the door behind her.

Miku ran back upstairs and into the room. She jumped onto the bed and began crying. Not knowing what else to do, Miku blinked her tears away and looked around the room. The first and only sight that she noticed was a large window with a tree by it. Miku ran to the window and saw Mrs. Kagamine's truck parked only a few yards away. "Maybe . . ." Miku thought. She pushed open the window the same time Mrs. Kagamine came into view. "I need to hurry," Miku realized.

Miku climbed out of the window and onto the tree. She quickly, yet still gracefully, climbed from branch to branch in an attempt to get closer to the ground. When Miku was still a few feet off the ground, she looked and saw that Mrs. Kagamine was unlocking her truck doors. "There's no time to lose," Miku decided before letting go on the branch she was holding onto and landed on the ground. Miku winced as the pain shot through her ankles, shins, and knees, but she shook it off as she ran after the woman. "Mrs. Kagamine!" she called.

Mrs. Kagamine looked surprised to see Miku. Astonished, perhaps. "Miku!" she gasped as she ran towards the girl and gave her a hug.

"Take me to the hospital with you!" Miku pleaded.

"How did you-" Mrs. Kagamine started but stopped herself. "You know what? It doesnt matter. Get in the truck and I'll take you there."

Miku said nothing but limped to the truck. She had hurt herself jumping out of the tree, but, for Rin, it was worth it. "Are you okay?" Mrs. Kagamine asked. Miku said nothing but nodded her head. Either she was too worried to say more, or she wanted to respect Miku's silence, Mrs. Kagamine said nothing more the whole way to the hospital.

* * *

Author's Note: Poor Rin-Chan, having to suffer a brain injury. Of course I'm the one who wrote her having the concussion so I don't think I have the right to sympathize.

Rin: *growls* You don't. And did you really have to make me throw up?! It's embarrassing.

Me: Yes I did. Throwing up is one of the symptoms of concussion.

Rin: *crosses arms* And how would you know?

Me: . . .

Rin: . . . Oh.

-Ray


	28. Chapter 28

"Rin Kagamine, what room is she in?!" Miku demanded when she first entered the hospital.

"Family only," the receptionist said very unkindly. Her curly dark hair and dark skin that had to be the result of a tanning gone wrong made her look plain with the beige scrubs she wore.

"I'm her mother," Mrs. Kagamine said as she came up behind Miku, who had ran ahead.

"And the girl?" the middle-aged woman stared at Miku, squinting and thus resulting in deepening the crow's feet near her eyes.

"I'm her sister," Miku quickly lied.

The receptionist looked unbelieving but gave them directions to the room anyway. "Fifth floor, room 518."

"Thank you," both Miku and Mrs. Kagamine said at the same time. After waiting impatiently for the elevator, Miku and Mrs. Kagamine were greeted by Luka, who had just returned from getting coffee and was on her way back to the floor Rin was on.

"Miku!" Luka said, relief all over her voice.

"How's Rin?" Miku asked, not caring to talk about how she herself felt.

Luka looked sad. "She hasn't regained consciousness yet. The doctors are telling is not to worry, but she just looks so beaten up."

"Wha-what's her condition?" Miku asked as she stepped onto the now arrived elevator.

"Broken ankle and a major concussion," Luka answered as the elevator door closed behind her.

"And where's Len?" Mrs. Kagamine asked. "He wouldn't tell me if he was okay or not."

"Len's fine," Luka said. "He carried Rin all the way from the parking lot to inside the building." Luka smiled. "He didn't even stop to tell anyone what was going on; he just kept yelling for a doctor while he took her to the E.R. He was met by a team, of course, but after they got her he wasn't allowed to see her and had to wait with Meiko and I in the waiting room. He's a good brother to Rin, I now just noticed, and he is certainly a wonderful young man."

Mrs. Kagamine smiled at what Luka had said about Len. Len, she had always noticed, was a big brother to Rin even though he was three hours younger.

"Where are Len and Meiko now?" Miku asked.

"Meiko and I aren't allowed into her room since we're not family," Luka answered, "but Len is with her right now. He's trying so hard to talk Rin into waking up." Luka said the last sentence with sadness, and her face also wore a sad expression.

Miku, despite of herself, smiled. "Knowing Rin, she's so stubborn that she probably won't wake up all just because Len is asking her to. She's a 'I'll do it when I'm good and ready' kind of girl."

"So she is," Luka said when they stepped off the elevator. "Her room is down there," she said as she pointed towards the hall on the left.

"Thank you, Luka," Miku said. She and Mrs. Kagamine walked down the hall and came to the room they were looking for. Miku slipped into the dark room first and saw the hospital bed Rin was lying on. Len was sitting on Rin's right and tenderly holding her hand, stroking her skin with his thumb. "How-" Miku said quietly, "how is she?"

Len jumped at the sound of her voice and jumped again when he saw Miku standing next to his mom. "Still hasn't waken up yet," he slowly answered. Len was obviously surprised to see Miku, but he managed to maintain his composure.

Miku immediately took the seat on Rin's left and took hold of that hand. "Don't worry Rin," Miku said to her best friend, "I'm here." She brushed a strand of hair out of Rin's face and gasped when she saw the giant bruise.

"I think we should keep that covered," Len said as he pulled the strand back in place. Miku said nothing but nodded.

"What did the doctors say?" Mrs. Kagamine asked.

Len shook his head. "They gave Rin an X-ray on her ankle, but the results aren't ready yet. There's not much they can do about her head, however, so we just have to wait for Rin to wake up."

Mrs. Kagamine nodded. Sensing that Miku and Len should be alone she said, "I'm going to step out to the waiting room. Len, keep your sister company."

"Yes ma'am."

"And Miku," Miku gave the woman her attention, "thanks for being here, it means a lot to Rin."

"I wouldn't be anywhere else in the world right now," Miku whispered as she tightened her grip on Rin's hand.

After Mrs. Kagamine stepped out Len leaned forward and asked, "What are you doing here? Aren't we supposed to be separated?"

"We are," Miku answered, "but I wasn't going to leave Rin like this. I sneaked out and had your mom take me with her. I don't think she's against the separation, but she wanted Rin to have a chance to say goodbye." Miku looked at the blond girl. "I love the both of you, and losing you two is literally going to kill me."

"Don't say that," Len said.

"I wouldn't say it if it wasn't true," was Miku's response. Looking at Rin's ankle she said, "I think I can heal it. My skills aren't that great but I know that I focus hard enough-"

"No," Len interrupted.

"What?" Miku asked, snapping her head at him in surprise.

"I said 'No,'" Len repeated. "She already had an X-ray. If the X-ray says that her ankle is broken but you heal it then how is that going to look? I'm afraid we'll have to let her ankle heal on it's own."

Miku frowned at this but knew that Len was right. To the unconscious Rin she said, "Rin, can you hear me? It's me, Miku. I'm okay and I'm right here with you. I'm not going anywhere, Rin, so stop worrying about me and focus on getting better."

"I've been trying to tell her that you're okay," Len said. "I guess now that she hears your voice then she'll have to believe me."

Miku silently laughed. "Come on, Rin. You're not going to let an injury slow you down, are you?" Just then a phone went off. "That's my cell phone," Miku said, immediately recognizing the ring tone.

"Here," Len said as he handed it to her. "I found it in the dress pocket shortly before taking Rin to the hospital. If anyone asks, Rin fell down a flight of stairs so that's why she's in the hospital."

Miku, though unwillingly, let go of Rin's hand and grabbed the buzzing phone. She walked outside the room and answered her cell. "Hello?"

"Miku! Thank God!" her mother's voice sounded relieved. "Where are you?"

"I'm at the hospital," Miku reluctantly answered.

"The hospital! Sweetie, are okay? What's going on?" Ann's worried voice range.

"I'm okay, it's Rin who's hurt," Miku said.

"What happened?" Ann asked, now worried for her daughter's best friend.

"Rin fell down a flight of stairs so I'm here with right now," Miku answered. "She has a broken ankle and a concussion."

"That's unfortunate," Ann sympathized. "Would you like me to pick you up and take you home?"

Miku took just a moment to think. She may never see Rin again so she should spend every moment with her best friend as possible, even if Rin wasn't awake to enjoy her company. "No, I want to stay with Rin," Miku said.

"If you say so," Ann said. "Would you like a change of clothes? I don't think that dress is comfortable enough to be wearing all the time."

"I would like that," Miku admitted. "Please bring something warm; it's cold here."

Miku and Ann exchanged a few more words before she hung up. Miku immediately wen back into Rin's room and took her empty hand. "Rin," Miku called, "please wake up. I want you to tell me that you're okay."

"If you won't wake up for me then at least wake up for Miku," Len said to his sister. "You're so stubborn."

Neither said another word. They only held Rin's hands and gave the other a look every now and again. The blond girl showed no signs of moving, and only small signs of breathing. They sat there for minutes before Miku's cell went off. Miku looked at the text and saw that her mother was asking for her to meet downstairs in order to take the new clothes. "I'll be right back," Miku said as she stood. She took a look at Rin's unmoving figure and then leaned down to kiss her forehead.

Miku left the room and took the elevator down. Her mother greeted her the moment that she stepped off the elevator. "How's Rin?" Ann asked.

"Still unconscious," Miku answered. "Len and I have been trying to talk her into waking up, but the stubborn girl just won't listen."

Even though she knew Miku was just trying to be her normal light-hearted self, Ann could see that her daughter was trying hard to keep it together. "Is it okay for me to see Rin?" Ann asked.

Miku shook her head. "Only family is allowed. I'm only allowed in because I told them that I'm Rin's sister." Miku laughed at the last part.

Ann slowly shook her head at Miku's dishonesty but said nothing about it. "Is her mom here? I would like to talk to Clarissa before I go."

"I'll take you to her," Miku said as she turned around and pushed the elevator button.

"Your clothes," Ann said as she handed Miku a plastic bag.

"Thanks," Miku mumbled as she stepped onto the elevator. The ride was in silence, but as soon as Miku directed her mother towards Rin's mom did the two women get talkative. Not bothering to care what they were saying to each other, Miku walked into the restroom and changed in one of the spacious stalls. Ann had brought Miku a pair of light blue jeans, a white tank top, and a light blue sweater. To Miku's relief, Ann had also brought her a change of shoes, sneakers. After Miku had changed clothes she washed the horrid make-up off her face and let her long hair fall naturally. She put the dress and heels into the bag and walked out of the restroom, only taking the time to glancing at herself in the mirror before she left.

She found Rin's mom and her mom discussing something, but was too out of reality to care. She crashed in one of the waiting room chairs next to Luka but didn't bother to make eye contact with her. Luka, in an attempt to comfort, touched Miku's hand and said, "Rin will be all right, I know it. Don't worry yourself so much."

"I won't," Miku answered. Then she said, "Thanks."

"It's nothing," Luka said as she drank the last of her coffe. "Would you like anything to drink?"

"Coffee," was Miku's immediate answer.

"But the caffeine-" Luka started but was cut off.

"Will help me stay up," Miku said. "I want to be awake when Rin regains consciousness, even if I have to go a whole week without sleep."

Luka, knowing that arguing was pointless, did as Miku asked and went to get some coffee for her. Meiko, who had felt awkward, sat closer to Miku and said, "Don't stress yourself for Rin; she would hate you if you sacrificed you health like that. Just take it easy and try to relax. Rin will be up and around again before you know it."

"Thanks Meiko," Miku said, smiling at the brunette.

"Miku, Sweetie," Ann got Miku's attention as she touched her shoulder, "I'm leaving you in Mrs. Kagamine's care so do as she says. Call me when Rin wakes up, okay?"

"Yes ma'am," Miku responded.

Ann leaned down and gave Miku a hug. "I love you."

"I love you too, Mom," Miku said.

Ann took the bag with Miku's, or Rin's, clothes and left for the elevator. Miku sat there a little longer, unsure of what to do. "Here," Luka said as she handed Miku her cup of coffee.

"Thanks Luka," Miku smiled.

"You're welcome," Luka returned the smile.

"I guess we'll be going now?" Meiko said, making it sound like a question.

"I guess so," Luka said. "Send Rin my best. Bye Miku."

"Bye Luka."

"See ya kid."

"Bye, Meiko."

Miku sat there as she watched the two board the elevator. She then put her attention to the coffee in her hands. She smelled the coffee, allowing its sweet aroma to tingle her senses. Miku sipped the coffee, but she began gagging when she realized that the coffee wasn't as good as it smelled. "It's black," Miku quickly blamed. Maybe she should have asked for creamer.

"Miku," Mrs. Kagamine said, "would you like to stay with Rin? I know she would much rather have you and Len with her so I don't mind staying out here."

"Are you sure?" Miku asked. Mrs. Kagamine said nothing but nodded. Miku got up and slowly made her way back to Rin's room. Once inside, she found that Len had fallen asleep in his chair. "He looks so cute when he's asleep," Miku inwardly smiled. She sat the coffee next to him, hoping that when he woke up he would think that it was meant for him and not a reject by Miku.

Miku took Rin's left hand again and began running the fingers of her free hand against Rin's arm. "Why am I doing this?" Miku mentally laughed. "I must look so weird right now." She continued anyway, feeling Rin's soft skin. "For a girl who doesn't care about beauty and all that she sure has nice skin," Miku complained. She watched Rin through the night to the best of her abilities, only stopping when sleep crept up on her and took over.

* * *

Author's Note: I got another chapter in today! :D Good thing I have free time on weekends. :3

I don't know why, but I really liked writing the hospital scenes. There are more, of course, but will Rin regain consciousness any time soon? Or will I have a hard time updating? Hopefully not the latter.

-Ray


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